First Whine-n-Dine couple getting married
Sarah and Scott are regular riders on the spring and summertime Whine and Dine bicycle rides that Tyler, Jeff and I lead. Now Scott and Sarah are engaged and they are getting married next month. This is the last ride they are doing before they get married that we will be at. So, after last night's ride we celebrated with champagne, wine, confetti and a cake. We did a toast and wished them happiness. It was a wonderful fun evening.
Still shooting after all these years
Yesterday I spent all day in Los Gatos at the Cat's Hill Crit Bicycle race. I took a couple hundred pictures. On of my favorite photos was this shot of pro racers hammering up the 23% grade of Cat's Hill. I shot this photo with my digital Nikon D2H, but I made it in PhotoShop. Using PhotoShop and my Wacom Tablet I created two layers with very different exposure and contrast settings. Then I masked off the high contrast layer and masked into it where the riders are. This is an image I could not have made with film, absolutely no way!
The Bike club newsletter
Today was production day of the ACTC newsletter which I publish. I made a black and white version of this image for the newsletter. This link shows how I cropped and used the image. The final version of this newsletter is here. This is how it went to the printer!
http://homepage.mac.com/s_sloan/bbb/200606.pdf
Actually that is not true, the printer receives 11x17 printer spreads. If you are curious what they look like, this is how it looks in printer spreads.
If you have contributed, please verify that your contribution is here:
http://homepage.mac.com/s_sloan/bbb/200606/
~Steve
Even cyclists can be jerks
I, as a cyclist, have had some bad encounters with car drivers who are jerks. I know many of the cyclists in this list have too. The other day I as a car driver had a bad encounter with a cyclist who was a jerk.
The other day I was driving up Kennedy and passed a cyclist well short of the summit. I gave him plenty of respect and clearance when I passed. I stopped at the summit and took a picture. Then drove down the hill, still well ahead of the cyclist. I am a cautious driver and drive the speed limit on curvy roads with limited lines of sight. The speed limit going down Kennedy is 20-25 mph with sharp turns, a double yellow line, few if any turnouts and limited lines of sight. The cyclist caught up with me on the downhill. He rode my bumper. I felt really pressured to speed up to a speed faster than legal, faster than I felt safe and not slow down for turns. I also was afraid to touch my brake pedal for fear of him not being able to react in time to avert a collision.
Once we came to a climb I, of course, pulled away from him. Had I not been a cyclist myself I may have taken hostility from that incident into my next encounter with a cyclist. Being a cyclist, and understanding that cyclists need to be safe on the road and not tail gate, I just told myself that even jerks can ride bicycles.
~Steve
Technorati Tags: ACTC, Bicycling, ssloansjca
April 19 was a cycling day
Yesterday evening was the first time I have ridden my bicycle in a long time. Even though I am still sick, I am well on my way to health. I lead a short and slow whine and dine ride, my first such ride for 2006! Jeff led a faster and further group. We had 23 riders on our ride. Tyler had a large turnout on his ride as well. These whine and dine rides go every Wednesday at 6pm from Summit Bikes [Link]. They are very social. We totaled around 40 riders. With the three rides we had we had about a ride for everyone. After the ride we had a great social gathering at Una Mas. This was the two-year anniversary of the bike crash in 2004 that ruined that season [Link]. On this year's ride we saw a coyote walking along Kennedy road and a herd of deer on Shannon. It was great to see the friends and meet the new folks who turned out for the ride.
Technorati Tags: ACTC, Whine and Dine Rides, Bicycling, ssloansjca
Thanks to all of you who contributed to this edition. Thanks to you we have another fun newsletter. All the reports, stats, stories, pictures and editing help is greatly appreciated.
The final version is here. This is how it went to the printer [Link].
Again, your contributions are appreciated!!!
Writers, please check that your input is posted and let me know if it isn't:
http://homepage.mac.com/s_sloan/bbb/200605/
~Steve
I am still recovering from doing the podcast yesterday [Link]. I have been sick for about a week. It has been very disappointing, I took two days of vacation last week with hopes of going to the Sea Otter Classic [Link] and covering that. The Sea Otter is one of my favorite events and Sue and I went last year and got some good shots [Blog Link.] I have been hating being sick and not being able to go. This year the Sea Otter and the Tierra Bella fell on the same weekend. I hoped to do both, but I barely did one. I totally lost my voice after the Tierra Bella. Today I am resting, no Sea Otter this year. At least the podcast rocked! I really enjoyed doing that. I did the podcast and did many more interviews while Jim Chaskin took pictures. We traveled as a reporter/photographer with me being the reporter. That was a lot of fun. I really like Jim, he is a very nice guy and a great conversationalist.
Podcast ten - Recorded Mar 5, North American Handbuilt Bike Show, part IV. Session length 6.5 minutes, 6.3 MB
To listen to audio click here --> MP3 File Here
Special bicycles for sheep herders? In this, part four of a series of podcasts recorded at the North American Handbuilt Bicycle Show, in San Jose California on March 5, 2006 you will be invited into a conversation with John Norstag of Thursday Bicycles. Norstag is from Pocatello Idaho and makes a bicycle called the Mutton Master. This is a serious working bike with a built in welded on rack made for hard work. I hope you enjoy this Almaden Cycle Touring Club Podcast. ACTC Podcast ten, 6.5 minutes, 6.3 MB MP3 File.
Technorati Tags: ACTC, Thursday Bicycles, Bicycling, ssloansjca
Podcast eleven - Recorded April 8, The Tierra Bella, 2006. Session length 20.5 minutes, 6.3 MB
To listen to a High Fidelity audio (20.5 MB) click here: MP3 File Here
To listen to a Small File Size audio (5.13 MB) click here: MP3 File Here
Experience the Tierra Bella 2006 in the words of the folks who rode and put on the event. This podcast goes to various locations on this the annual century ride put on by the Almaden Cycle Touring Club. It is great to hear the folks tell in the own words what a great ride this was and how much fun was had on this lovely April 8, 2006. ACTC Podcast eleven, 22:22 minutes.
As an added bonus you can hear my voice progressively fade away!
Technorati Tags: ACTC, Tierra Bella, Bicycling, ssloansjca
Podcast nine - Recorded Mar 5, North American Handbuilt Bike Show, part III. Session length 10:49 minutes, 9.9 MB
To listen to audio click here --> MP3 File Here
This is part three of a series of podcasts recorded at the North American Handbuilt Bicycle Show, in San Jose California on March 5, 2006. In this show we are having a conversation with San Luis Obispo custom titanium bicycle frame builder Jim Kish. Jim Kish is the owner of Kish Fabrication. He is also an instructor at the United Bicycle Institute where Jim has been teaching the art of titanium frame building to hundreds of students from around the world. I hope you enjoy this Almaden Cycle Touring Club Podcast. ACTC Podcast nine, 10:49 minutes, 9.9 MB MP3 File.
Podcast eight - Recorded Mar 5, North American Handbuilt Bike Show, part II. Session length 8.15 minutes, 1.9 MB
To listen to audio click here --> MP3 File Here
This is the second of a series of podcasts recorded at the North American Handbuilt Bike Show, in San Jose California on March 5, 2006. In this show we are having a conversation with local San Jose steel bicycle frame builder Dale Saso and Texan Custom Carbon Fiber Composite Bicycle frame builder Nick Crumpton. Though Crumpton also builds with steel, the conversation focuses on carbon fiber as a frame material choice for building for all kinds of riders. I hope you enjoy this Almaden Cycle Touring Club Podcast. There are more shows coming. Podcast eight, 8.15 minutes, 1.9 MB MP3 File.
Podcast seven - Recorded Mar 5, North American Handbuilt Bike Show, part I. Session length 15.42 minutes, 3.6 MB
To listen to audio click here --> MP3 File Here
This is the first of a series of podcasts recorded at the North American Handbuilt Bike Show, in San Jose California on March 5, 2006. In this show Richard Schwinn of Waterford Precision Cycles and Hector Chavez of Winning Wheels Bike Shop on the Monterey Peninsula are interviewed for the Almaden Cycle Touring Club podcast. Podcast seven, 15.42 minutes, 3.6 MB MP3 File.
Technorati Tags: ACTC, San Jose, Steve Sloan, ssloansjca
A Personal Editorial
I voted the way I felt was the correct way to vote given the rules of the drawing. We did have a drawing, someone was selected, that person accepted the gift, then after accepting the gift, that person decided not to use it. Under the rules going into the drawing, the gift was not transferable. Under the rules going into the drawing, the gift is forfeited if not used. Under the rules going into the drawing, nobody but the person awarded the gift may use it. This was clearly communicated among the board before the drawing was held. In my opinion changing the rules after a drawing that involves a gift, opens the door to all sorts of allegations of corruption and/or favoritism.
About my role on the board. I was asked to run for publisher. I did not go out to seek the job.
Given the criticism I have received over this I will likely not run again. Perhaps someone else can do a better job at it. But, I can honestly say, I have served and voted the way I thought was right and that is the way I will always vote when serving in this or any similar capacity. When I was solicited for the job of publisher, the nominating committee focused on my capabilities as a newsletter publisher and not as a politician or member of the board. But, being elected to that position I have had to vote my conscience and do what I feel is right, even though others may disagree. In other non ACTC capacities I have voted my conscience many times even when I have been the sole dissenter. I will, and have had to, vote my conscience and do what I feel is right no matter how unpopular that is. I guess that makes me a lousy politician.
~Steve Sloan
Bike vs. Truck: Let's Rodeo!
$1,000 Reward Offered
For information leading to the arrest and conviction of the driver of the pickup truck involved in the following flagrant action of violence against a local bay area cyclist.
A Monte Vista Velo (MVV) club cyclist was injured after being run off of the road by a large Dodge Ram pickup truck while descending on Page Mill Rd. The incident happened on Saturday, March 25th around 11:00am and the driver of the truck tried to run many other club members off the road as they road single file down the hill. The altercation was a deliberate act by the driver of the truck to send a message to all bay area cyclist that they do not belong on the public roads.
Description of the Truck:
If you spot the truck matching this description, please get a full license plate # and report it to the Palo Alto Police Department at the number below.
The Injured Rider
The MVV rider suffered a class 1 AC separation of the left shoulder and two broken teeth. He is recovering quickly and has returned to riding with the club.
The injured rider is 51 years old, married and father of 4. He is an accomplished cyclist with over 25 years of competitive riding experience. He is also a successful businessman holding Vice President of Engineering positions at Sun, Kazeon and Oracle Corporation.
"The bay area is one of the most cycling friendly places I have ever lived in. I've never see anything that compares to this level of aggression and willingness to inflict harm. My hope is that we can find the person that did this before they hurt or kill someone else."
The bay area is one of the most cycling friendly spots in the entire US. Everyone must do their part to keep California roads safe for autos, motorcycles, cyclists, pedestrians and equestrians alike.
I have a bicycling podcast
This is a lot of fun for me. I really enjoy doing this. It is a great way to showcase a passion of mine, my great friends, and a great solution to some vexing problems our society has. Anything that helps resolve the energy, fitness and the obesity problems we have is a great thing to be involved with
My Bicycle Club podcast:
Oh yea, it is also on iTunes!
San Jose Water Company is planning to replace 2,000 feet of water mains located on and crossing Main Street in downtown Los Gatos. The existing mains are almost 70 years old and their replacement is necessary in order to improve the reliability and performance of the water system.
The new mains will be located on the Los Gatos Creek Trail from the Forbes Mill Museum parking lot southward towards the company's Maple Lane Station. The project is anticipated to begin on April 24, 2006 and must be completed prior to the start of the Town of Los Gatos street resurfacing project (anticipated start date July 5, 2006).
During construction, the Los Gatos Creek Trail will be closed to public access in order to ensure the safety of the trail users and that of the workers. To minimize the impact of the trail closure, the project will be divided into three phases:
Cupertino Bike Shop and ROMP (Responsible Organized Mountain Pedalers) present our annual bicycle swap meet. Sunday, April 30, back parking lot of the bike shop. 10:00 AM till about 4:00 PM. Located at 10493 S. DeAnza Blvd in Cupertino, CA (approx. 2 miles up from Steven Creek Blvd).
We ask you park at the Longs/Albertsons shopping center; staying OFF the streets in respect of the neighbors/neighborhood. Parking is free in the lot and plenty of food locally for snacks, lunch, etc. ATMS at the stores.
This is THE largest bicycle swap meet in the San Jose area, with over 50 vendors selling road, mountain (and now cruiser) bikes, parts, tools, clothing, etc. We've been told by many, we have the best bike swap meet in the Bay Area. Swap opens at 10:00 AM sharp (no early birds), and the line starts forming at 9:00. $2.00 admission. Spaces are still available and we often sell out, so reserve you space NOW if you wish to sell.
NEW PROCEDURE: This year there will be a LIMITED AMOUNT of wristbands given to vendors who pay for spaces. This is discourage 'early shopping' by non-vendors and give sellers time to set up their spaces. You will be given more info by the shop, but please note this new procedure and don't take it out on the staff/volunteers.
Space proceeds go directly to ROMP and our on-going advocacy aimed at working with local park staff and helping to keep off-road mountain bike trails open to cyclists.
Call the shop at: 408 255-2217 for info and to reserve your space in advance. Don't wait until the last minute. We will be charging an additional $20.00 'late fee' if you arrive 'day of' for a space. Notice: All email and instant messages (including attachments) sent to or from Franklin Templeton Investments (FTI) personnel may be retained, monitored and/or reviewed by FTI and its agents, or authorized law enforcement personnel, without further notice or consent.
Something old and something new for 2006 STBikes Cat’s Hill Classic Criterium this year on Saturday, May 13, 2006. This annual cycling criterium in Los Gatos, California, is legendary for the merciless, leg-punishing climb on Nicholson Avenue. The short, but brutal, 23% grade of Cat’s Hill is daunting to elite riders as well as amateurs. How many laps can burning legs and lungs last?
For thirty-two years, contestants have valiantly challenged this formidable and intimidating race course. The Men’s Pro/1/2/Espoir category will race on the demanding one-mile course for an hour and a half, climbing the merciless Cat’s Hill about forty times. The Women’s 1/2/3 category will challenge the Cat’s Hill for an hour of lung-searing laps.
The Los Gatos Bicycle Racing Club, recently named the number one amateur cycling club in the USA, has presented the Cat's Hill Classic Bicycle Race continuously since 1974. The Cat's Hill Criterium, totally a volunteer project of the Los Gatos Bicycle Racing Club, is one of the oldest grass roots cycling races in the US. The list of famous riders participating in this races reads like a Who’s-Who in the history of the cycling world.
Los Gatos cycling fans proudly saw local talent on the podium in 2005. Los Gatos resident Jackson Stewart of Kodak Gallery/Sierra Nevada won the Men’s Pro/1/2 Espoir, with Zach Walker of McGuire/Langdale Pro Cycling standing in the second spot. Zach Walker lives on the race course, and knows the Cat's Hill hurt very well.
New for 2006 STBikes Cat’s Hill Classic will be cycling action for very young cyclists. With their on-going commitment to promote cycling for Juniors, the Los Gatos Bicycle Racing Club is adding a Kid’s Race for the 5-9 age group. This is a fun ride with medals for all the kids who enter the 0.2 mile event, which starts at 12.30 pm. Two wheels or three wheels, helmets are required, and parents must sign a liability waiver before the ride begins.
Another new feature this year will encourage folks to ride their bikes to the race. The Cat’s Hill Classic committee has arranged for the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition to provide free, secure bicycle parking during the event. The SVBC provides secure bike parking for many local events in the South Bay Area.
The Los Gatos Bicycle Racing Club has selected the new and local, non-profit Cycle ReCyclery program as the designated charity for 2006. Cycle ReCyclery is a non-profit bicycle repair and donation service founded by Derek Beck, a senior at Bellarmine College Preparatory. Cycle ReCyclery accepts donations of quality bicycles that are in need of reconditioning, restores the bicycles at the Cycle ReCyclery shop in downtown Los Gatos and donates them to local non-profit groups or individuals who qualify based on a needs assessment.
More than 700 amateur and professional riders are expected to compete on the demanding one-mile course that starts at the corner of Tait and Nicholson Avenues in Los Gatos. The route is a clockwise loop that includes the incredibly steep 23% Cat’s Hill climb, plus six brutal 90-degree turns along the race course. Race lengths range from three to forty laps, depending on age and ability classifications. For more information, go to the website www.catshill.org.
The Cat's Hill Classic is held under USA Cycling (USAC) permit and is part of both the prestigious Lance Armstrong Junior Olympic Race Series (LAJORS) and the Northern California Nevada Cycling Association (NCNCA) Premier Series.
Saturday I led a bike club ride
Really it was kind of a mistake because I did not intend to list a ride during a production weekend. But, I did. It ended up being a really good ride. We rode to Croy Park. I rode 48 miles. There is a canyon there with about seven waterfalls. With all the rain there is water everywhere. It was sunny and clear, if a bit cold. It turned out to be a great day for a bike ride and I still got the newsletter done.
The final version of the Almaden Cycle Touring Club's April newsletter. the Black and Blue Bottom, is posted here [Link]. This is as I sent it to the printer. I had no time for editing or Alpha or Beta versions this month.
Technorati Tags: ACTC, San Jose, Steve Sloan, ssloansjca
A matter of craft
I think the difference between a custom hand made bike frame and an off-the-rack frame is like the difference between an off-the-rack suit and a tailored suit. Not only can a frame builder take into account your height, but also your proportions, inseam, weight, build and how you ride. Plus, of course, what you wish to spend is a major factor. We are all built different but off-the-rack bikes often offer generic off-the-rack sizings.
Plus, there is the art of it. With a custom bike you are riding a living, moving piece of hand crafted art. You are supporting real artisans. The personality of the builder is in the bike. He/she hopefully has expressed that. How he/she thinks you will use the bike is reflected in everything from the length of the tubes to the types of materials and the construction methods used in the bike.
Joe Starack built my first custom bicycle, a Rivendell, and Joe Bell painted it. Local builder Dale Saso built my other custom bike. That bike was the result of visits to Dale’s shop, of long conversations about types of tubes, materials and riding styles. I remember holding and looking at bare steel tubes and going through boxes of fork crowns and being able to specify the most small of details on that bike. It was a collaboration effort. I saw the bike evolve from metal. My Saso bike is the result of the many conversations Dale and I had. Does that make me faster? No. Does that enhance my own personal riding experience? Yes, very much.
You may be surprised to find the cost is not as high as you fear. Only you can decide what you want. That’s what makes’em so cool.
Technorati Tags: ACTC, San Jose, Steve Sloan, ssloansjca
Dave Holland
Parks and Recreation Director
dholland@co.sanmateo.ca.us
San Mateo County Parks and Recreation
455 County Center, 4th Floor
Redwood City CA 94063-1646
Dear Mr. Holland,
I attended the Huddart Wunderlich trail policy meeting of January 31. I was only able to audit the meeting by securing a place outside by a window. Most likely well above the safe and legal limit of occupancy, the building was over-crowded and there were many people outside who were unable to participate. I sympathize with the difficult task you had in facilitating this meeting. My letter intends to explain why I support the creation of a bike legal trail south of King Mtn Rd in Huddart Park.
Because of the acrimonious disposition of anti-bicycle people present, a reasonable and objective appraisal of the trail proposal was impossible. I heard too many rude remarks whispered. Even worse, occassional loud boorish jeering obstructed civil conduct. I was appalled by the large number of negative assumptions made. Only a few of the anti-bike folk had a proper understanding of the proposal. I am afraid that more moderate people were silenced by the prevailing bully attitudes. Many of their objections were not applicable. I will list the chief objections of the opponents to the trail in Squealer Gulch (that I heard at the meeting) and to bicyclists in general, explain my position on each one of them below, and also write in support of a multi-use policy on the Bay Area Ridge Trail and a proposed new alignment east of Hwy 35 in the vicinity.
Thank you for your consideration.
Paul Nam
Too fast to blog
Lately it seems life has been going too fast for me to get it down on the computer. My mother-in-law turned 80. We had a great get away to Healdsburg and Petaluma. We discovered some great new wineries and wines. I spent a day photographing and podcasting at a bike race. I did another edition of the bike club newsletter, 24 pages! Sue has been working like a demon. Kenneth came to visit. We bought a new digital camera. There has been no time to sit and think or collect my pictures and blog. Today was the Tour of California. What a great event! Too much fun. Must blog soon!
I am going to be away to celebrate my mother-in-law's 80th birthday. I will be blogging about the vacation when, where and how I can on my family blog [Link].
Podcast three, The Steve-n-Ray Show, Friday, February 10, 2006, session length 34.16 minutes, 7.8 MB
To listen to audio click here:
A conversation with Ray Rodriguez, a fellow ACTC member, describing podcasting, what the ACTC podcast is and how we can use this technology to tell people about ACTC and cycling in our area.
Technorati Tags: ACTC, San Jose, Steve Sloan, ssloansjca
The Almaden Cycle Touring Club Podcast
Here is the link to my new podcast [Link]. This podcast is about the bicycle club I am the publisher for and it is a lot of fun. It is wonderful how this medium can be used, not only to tell people about an organization but also really put a human voice to the organization. The first contact we have with the world is sound. We hear the world through our mother's womb before we even see it. There is something really connecting and human about podcasting. I think they are just so human, and that is huge.
Club Meeting Podcast
We had a great ACTC meeting this evening. Thank you to all the folks who made it happen. If you want to hear a few interviews from tonight's meeting please checkout the podcast. Here it is, Click on Podcast button to listen:
This is almost live Internet radio and I think it really gives our club a human voice.
Technorati Tags: ACTC, San Jose, Steve Sloan, ssloansjca
Great awards dinner
We had a great time at the award dinner and even made a podcast:
This is live Internet radio and is actually three conversations stitched together, 1.3MB, 6min, MP3 format file.
Technorati Tags: ACTC, San Jose, Steve Sloan, ssloansjca
The third and final alpha version of the newsletter is here, [Link]
The last alpha version of the February newsletter is posted. This is pages one thru 17, which is the main body pages of the newsletter. It is still subject to change, but only if there is an overriding reason. This is all I am going to do today. Tomorrow I will finish the back pages and incorporate any changes I get. Thanks everybody for the help with this edition and the great corrections I have received. You have helped make this a better issue!
Technorati Tags: ACTC, San Jose, Steve Sloan, ssloansjca
Another alpha version of the February newsletter is posted here [Link]. This is pages one thru 12 and is subject to change. Again, of special importance here is the revised listings on page two. If you sent me any changes please double check to make sure I didn't screw up and that I got your changes in!
Please look here and let me know as soon as possible if you see any errors so I can fix them.
If you are new to the club, or have never paid much attention before, page two of the newsletter is a wonderful source of information and the place to get answers to many of the questions folks commonly ask about our great club. Looking here may save you from having to call our club president and asking him questions you can easily find the answers to.
This is the photo I chose for the cover of the February B&BB. I appreciate the photos folks submitted, it was a tough decision. Here are the reasons I chose this photo:
When I seek a photo for the cover I look for a photo that has what I call "curb appeal." I want the photo to grab a reader and make that reader want to read the newsletter. It also needs to relate to the newsletter and what we are as a club. I need to be able to tie it into a story or the time we are in and the places our club rides. I specifically avoid mug or group shots that are not dynamic. These types of photos have their places, but those places, in my opinion do not include the top half of the front of the newsletter, unless there is a very compelling reason.
Yesterday and today I rode my bike
It has been crisp, cold and clear the last couple of days. The tender green shoots are coming up and yesterday I saw a herd of deer on my ride. This is such a great place to ride a bicycle, I love it here! California Spring is only about a month away in the bay area and already I can see the buds starting to appear on the trees. Soon, those buds will be blossoms!
Thank you to everyone who has made a reservation to come to this years Appreciation Night! We have 175 people attending and know we will have a good time.
If anyone was unable to get tickets and would still like to come to it, please send me your name and I will start a standby list.
Warm regards,
Sandy
Sandy Lorber
408-206-9648
From the Canon City Daily Record:
(http://www.canoncitydailyrecord.com/Top-Story.asp?ID=2460)
Publish Date: 1/6/2006
Officer guilty of careless driving
Alison Miller
Daily Record Staff Writer
Cañon City Police Officer Doug Havens was convicted Thursday night of careless driving in a June 2005 incident that killed cyclist Bill Bliss on Colo. 67, two miles north of Wetmore.
Havens was found innocent of the lesser charge of speeding.
Assistant District Attorney Cheyenne Ross built her case around Bliss’ advocacy for bicycling safety and expert accident reconstruction.
The victim’s longtime friend and fellow cyclist Russell Godfrey testified Bliss, a 69-year-old Californian, advocated and taught road safety to new cyclists. According to Godfrey, Bliss always wore a helmet and bright clothing, had triangle reflectors and followed traffic laws.
Godfrey had been on the cross country tour that began in Virginia and was to end in Oregon before Bliss was struck by Havens on June 24.
Havens, a rural Westcliffe resident, was off duty at the time.
Defense attorney Cindy Montgomery called Bliss’ safety into question during cross-examination. She said Bliss’ bike and physical condition contributed to the accident.
Testimony indicated the bike was loaded down with equipment and had perhaps been engineered to carry excess cargo. The bike was described by Godfrey as having smaller than average wheels and a rack carry-ing a tent, tools, sleeping bag and other supplies.
Godfrey also testified Bliss was blind in the left eye, which was later determined by the Fremont County Coroner Dorothy Twellman to most likely have affected Bliss’ peripheral vision and possibly affected his ability to see motorists.
The Bliss family, who came from California and Seattle to attend the trial, disputed claims he was unsafe and said Bliss was an extremely accomplished cyclist.
“Bill has been bicycling for 36 years,” said Bonnie Bliss, the victim’s widow. “He has over 300,000 bicy-cle miles. He’s a very proficient rider; he’s done most of those miles commuting in urban traffic in San Jose (Calif.).
“Of all the people in the nation, he is probably one of the people who have such a depth of understanding and depth of thinking in these types (road cycling) of situations,” Mrs. Bliss said.
The defense questioned whether Bliss actually had been following the rules of the road and claimed he was riding close to a foot from the center line instead of near the white line as required by law.
Montgomery supported the claim with testimony from rural postal carrier Amanda Withers who said she saw between 10 and 15 cyclists on the highway “far out in the road so that you had to get into the other lane to get past them.”
Montgomery outlined a series of events, arguing Havens came around a curve just south of mile marker 2 on Colo. 67 at legal speeds and his view was obstructed by a vehicle in front of him. She also said Bliss was riding where he should not have been and that Havens had no time to prevent the accident.
Jeffery Burke, an accident reconstruction specialist from the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, testified Havens could not have been traveling more than 58 mph when he struck Bliss.
Burke said he personally drove Havens’ Ford truck around the curve attempting to reach 77 MPH and said the truck almost rolled. He said he was unable to reach the alleged speed Ross claimed Havens was travel-ing after coming out of the curve.
Burke also said at such high speeds it is impossible to see people when looking out the vehicle’s window, supporting the claim he was not speeding.
Rancher Chad Draper testified for the defense he was fixing a fence on his property and observed Havens driving. He said he and Havens waved to each other.
Draper also supported defense’s claims there had been another car ahead of Havens.
The prosecution’s expert witness gave a conflicting account of what he believed happened that day.
Mike Halpin, accident reconstruction specialist for the Colorado State Patrol, said he calculated Havens’ speed at 77 MPH in a 65 zone through calculations and measurements taken at the scene.
Halpin said skid marks, a scrape mark from the bicycle making impact with the road and Havens’ account of the accident gave him points of reference to reconstruct the accident.
According to Halpin, Havens probably came around the curve at high speeds, saw Bliss, had about 1.5 seconds reaction time, struck Bliss and applied the brakes.
The injuries sustained by Bliss were determined to be associated with Halpin’s account. Pictures of the deceased Bliss demonstrating such injuries were denied by Judge William Fox on grounds they were more inflammatory than probative.
Fox said the photos would evoke the sympathy that he himself admitted to having while viewing the pho-tos.
Evidence from the death certificate was admitted stating Bliss died from a substantial head injury caused by being struck by a motor vehicle.
Havens took the stand to give a personal account of the events and, upon cross-examination by Ross, a mistrial was almost granted after she asked Havens how many speeding tickets he has been issued. Havens admitted to one speeding ticket before Montgomery had the opportunity to object.
Prior acts are not allowed to be introduced into evidence, and Montgomery moved for a mistrial. Fox de-termined though Ross’ conduct was unacceptable, an instruction to the jury to not weigh the speeding ticket was more appropriate than to grant a mistrial.
The jury found that there was not enough evidence to convict Havens of speeding, but decided he was driving carelessly and caused Bliss’ death.
The misdemeanor carries a range of sentence options from fines and points on his license to jail time. A sentencing hearing was scheduled for 1:30 p.m. March 6.
According to CCPD Capt. Jim Cox, Havens is working and he knows of no plans to remove him from duty. Cox said the decision to keep or terminate Havens’ employment lies with City Administrator Steve Rabe, who had no comment.
Tomorrow is my youngest son Kenneth's birthday. He will be 19.
As Kenneth's birthday has been approaching I have been thinking a lot about it. It seems like he was just a little boy. Now, in 12 months he will be 20. Days go by so fast their passing seems trivial. But, each day is unique and never to be repeated again. Kids, they grow up so fast. It seems like yesterday, but just a little over a decade ago Kenneth was a little 8-year-old.
One of our favorite things to do was to go camping at a place called "camp." This is a place where my first wife Candy went since she was a little girl. After she died, this is where we buried her ashes. I hope we can go back there this year.
Here are some pictures of Kenneth.
The February 2006 queue is here. Contributors please check to see your contributions are here.
Thanks:
~Steve
http://homepage.mac.com/s_sloan/bbb/200602/
I hope you are having a great family holiday. I am taking a posting break from this blog, to spend time with my family. I will be posting some of these holiday activities and you are invited to follow along at the Sloan family blog [Link].
It has been wonderfully warm riding weather. Today I led a bicycle club ride to Croy Park. It felt good to ride and I was riding strong. It was a 43 mile ride. It was great, 16 people came. We had warm weather, with the fall change, the red leaves and we even saw a coyote. Only one rider had a flat. Lotsa folks stopped to help Sarah fix it. Tomorrow Susie, Kenneth and I are planning to go to a cat show.
The final version of the December newsletter is posted [ download here, 1 MB PDF ]. This is it. It is done! It is to be sent to the printer. No more edits will be allowed. The newsletter is done finished and has gone to press!
~Steve
Technorati Tags: ssloansjca, actc
The second "alpha version [ definition here ]" of the December newsletter is posted here. [PDF File Link] It still has about four pages missing content, a little old content (like the table of contents) from the last issue is still there, etc. These early versions are posted here for editing of what is here and so you know what the look and feel of the newsletter will be. More will be posted as it becomes available. As always I reserve the right to make substantial changes to the layout and design before final release.
~Steve
Technorati Tags: ssloansjca, actc
The first "alpha version [ definition here ]" of the December newsletter is posted here. [PDF File Link] It has a lot of missing content, some old content from the last issue is still there, etc. The early version is posted here for editing of what is here and so you know what the look and feel of the newsletter will be. More will be posted as it becomes available. As always I reserve the right to make substantial changes to the layout and design before final release.
~Steve
Technorati Tags: ssloansjca, actc
It is unusual for me to have two month where I have business trips back to back during production periods. The December queue is here. Contributors please check to see your contributions are here. Mug shots are also here for officers. I will be going into production this weekend!
Thanks:
~Steve
http://homepage.mac.com/s_sloan/bbb/200512/
The final version of the November newsletter is posted [ download here, 936 KB PDF ]. This is it. It is done! It is sent to the printer. No more edits will be allowed. The newsletter is done finished and has gone to press!
~Steve
Today was the last weekday whine and dine ride of 2005. It was a fun ride and we concluded it with a ride up Cat's Hill in Los Gatos. There I asked them to pose for a picture and a local house cat came up to check out the action.
Ever since Joanne and her husband Lee Thrall joined the club, I have heard comments about how she looks like my wife. The Saturday party was the first time I saw them together. Like me, Joanne and Lee also ride Rivendells!
The final version of the October newsletter is posted [ download here, 1 MB PDF ]. This is it. It is done! It is sent to the printer. No more edits will be allowed. The newsletter is done finished and has gone to press!
~Steve
The second "alpha version [ definition here ]" of the October newsletter is posted here. [PDF File Link] It has less missing content and the calendar is up to date but the table of contents is not. These early versions are posted here for editing of what is here and so you know what the look and feel of the newsletter will be. More will be posted as it becomes available. As always I reserve the right to make substantial changes to the layout and design before final release.
~Steve
The first "alpha version [ definition here ]" of the October newsletter is posted here. [PDF File Link] It has a lot of missing content, some old content from the last issue is still there, etc. The early version is posted here for editing of what is here and so you know what the look and feel of the newsletter will be. More will be posted as it becomes available. As always I reserve the right to make substantial changes to the layout and design before final release.
~Steve
October BBB Queue Is Closed:
It can be found at this link [link]. The newsletter is now in production.
It appears STBikes, a San Jose, California bike shop, wants my vote bad enough that they may be willing to bribe me for it.
This came in my E-mail today (September 6, 2005.)
If I am reading this right, if you vote for them in Metro Magazine's [Link] "Best of Silicon Valley Contest" you will receive a discount. Plus, if I am reading this right, the more times you vote for them, the more times you will get the discount. If they win this "contest" they get "free" publicity in Metro magazine.
Am I reading this right? Is this is really as this appears to me? If so, how can this possibly be ethical?
Technorati Tags: SanJose, San Jose, bicycling, corruption, journalism, ethics
Last Saturday John and Rosa had a great party for riders of the whine and dine ride. It was great fun! We started the day with a ride from Los Altos, up Old La Honda to Skyline, across to 84, back down and return to Los Altos. It was one of the most aggressive rides I have done in a long time. You know after the ride and the party, I slept like a rock!
As the after work rides wind down we may start doing more weekend whine and dine rides.
Colorado police officer charged in ACTC cyclist’s death
According to the Cañon City Daily Record, a Colorado newspaper, the Fremont County Colorado district attorney’s office filed charges on July 25 against Cañon City Police Detective Doug Havens in connection with a deadly car vs. bicycle accident June 24 which killed ACTC member Bill Bliss on Colorado highway 67 near Wetmore, Colorado.
Havens, 34, was charged with careless driving causing death, a Class 1 misdemeanor traffic offense in Colorado, and speeding (77 in a 65 mph zone). He was driving a pickup northbound on Colorado state highway 67 — while off-duty — and collided from behind with a bicycle ridden by Bliss. Bliss, 69, died at the scene.
Havens, a Westcliffe Colorado resident, was uninjured in the crash, which took place about 11:25 a.m. a couple miles north of Wetmore. According to Coroner Dorothy Twellman, Havens was traveling about 60 mph when he hit Bliss, who died of a neck fracture at the base of his skull. A long-time ACTC member, Bliss was doing a cross-country bicycle tour.
On Wednesday we rode to the youth hostel on Sanborn, off highway nine. This is a great place to ride too. The hostel is this tranquil quiet place that is way off the beaten path. I can't recommend it enough. Up until the incident with the motorcyclist, that is.
According to former ACTC president Michael Curtis, as well as several witnesses to the incident, Curtis was injured on the evening of Wednesday August third when a motorcyclist shoved him to the ground causing him to crash. Curtis was traveling eastbound on Los Gatos Blvd near Los Gatos Saratoga Road in the bike lane.
Curtis said the motorcyclist entered the bike lane and came close to him. According to Curtis words were exchanged. Then the motorcyclist reached over to him, from his motorbike to Curtis's bicycle while both were in motion, and shoved Curtis to the ground. Curtis was riding from the end of the Wednesday club whine and dine ride to the evening dinner after the ride, also in Los Gatos.
Witnesses stopped and helped Curtis, except for one that followed the motorcycle and got his license plate number. According to police they are investigating.
Steve Sloan came upon the scene and Sloan and Curtis went to the hospital. Curtis was banged up, he had several wounds and some road rash but no broken bones were found.
My eldest son Steve and new daughter-in-law Luci had a great wedding in North Bend, Washington. I am blogging about this on my family blog.
I am in Seattle with family for my oldest son's wedding. I will be back in August. I am covering the trip on my family blog.
The final version of the August newsletter is posted [ download here, 1.1 MB PDF ]. This is it. It is done! It is sent to the printer. No more edits will be allowed. The newsletter is done finished and has gone to press!
~Steve
The second "alpha version [ definition here ]" of the newsletter is posted here. It is all 20 pages and may have missing content! This is the last pre-release version.
Here is what I know is missing from this issue:
Other than that this is pretty much what it is going to look like! Any edits, comments or corrections will be greatly appreciated.~Steve
The first "alpha version [ definition here ]" of the newsletter is posted here. It is just the first 12 pages and may have missing content! More will be posted as it becomes available.
~Steve
The Queue for the August BBB is located here:
http://homepage.mac.com/s_sloan/bbb/200508/
It has the first draft of the composite story on Bill Bliss and will include more content as soon as I can get it posted.
Thanks:
~Steve
Here is a link to Bill Bliss's story about his trip down Hwy I-5 in 1997.
-Donny
Bicycle riding can be many things. It can be very social where you ride for hours laughing and talking with your friends. It can also be very solitary and an opportunity to spend a lot of time with yourself and your thoughts. Maybe that is why partly I love it so much, I get a lot out of both these activities. Cycling has been something I have been thinking so much about since the death of Bill Bliss and with the death last August 4th of ACTC club member James Mills on a club ride. Is it worth it? Yes, I think despite the lurking danger, the threat of sudden death around the next bend, I think it is. But never forget to be careful out there.
Here is a link to the obituary published in the June 28, 2005 San Jose Mercury News.
Susie met me in San Francisco at the end of my Sierra to the Sea bicycle ride. She was visibly happy to see me and proud of my ride. I can't think of anything more wonderful to see than her smiling face.
Sadly we just learned yesterday of the death of Bill Bliss, another member of our bicycle club, while riding his bike. That is the second death of a member of our club while riding a bike in the last year. Bicycle riding in traffic is a clearly dangerous activity.
I have returned from my bike tour!
Sierra to the Sea 2005 was a great bike tour. It was a bit cooler than past years and that was to the better. I had some great ride and saw many old friends and made new ones. I just returned yesterday so I have not yet processed a lot of the memories. On the last day many of the riders talked about their journeys. It impressed me that the experiences everybody shared were so different that at times they could have been talking about different trips. I guess life, and bicycle tours, is like that.
Kenneth has moved to his new home
Today I helped youngest son Ken move his bed and some of his belongings to his new place. Tonight is his first night in his own place. For me, for the first time since 1976, the nest is empty.
I will be a short turn drop out
For the next nine days I will be off the Internet grid and off the power grid. I will be on a bicycle touring the middle of California. If you want more information I will be on the Sierra to the Sea. I am really looking forward to the adventure and will blog about it after I return.
Blog full disclosure statement
Every now and then I like to post a link to each of my six blogs. This link gives a more honest view of my Internet identity than does reading one or two of the blogs alone.
The final version of the July newsletter is posted [ download here, 1 MB PDF ]. It is done! It has the new calendar. No more edits will be allowed. The newsletter is finished and has gone to press!
~Steve
Yesterday was the longest after work Whine and Dine ride for me this year. Next week I will be gone, then the days start getting shorter. It was a great ride!
The second "alpha version [ definition here ]" of the newsletter is posted [ download here ]. It is the first 14 pages and may have missing content! It has the new calendar and the ride schedule. No edits have been applied to the ride schedule. More will be posted as it becomes available. The newsletter will be finished and will go to press tomorrow!
~Steve
The first "alpha version [ definition here ]" of the newsletter is posted here. It is just the first page and may have missing content! More will be posted as it becomes available.
~Steve
Contributors to the BBB are urged to check the queue to confirm the status of their contributions. The queue for the July issue is here:
http://homepage.mac.com/s_sloan/bbb/200507/
Whine and Dine Warriors:
Speaking only for the mellow ride! It looks like rain, the forecast is rain. But, so far, no rain. Here is the options as I see them:
Also don't forget the almost whine and dine "After Work Dirty Ride" mountain bike rides that Richard Holtermann is leading on Thursdays. If you like to do it in the dirt whine and dine style, these are great rides.
Happy Trails:
~Steve
We had fantastic riding weather today. It was about as good as it gets! It was a warm evening too. It was perfect for sitting outside and enjoying good friends, good food and good wine! This is indeed as good as it gets.
Last weekend was a ton of fun! It really felt good to get out and ride. We went to lots of wineries and you can read my reviews of them here. The weather was perfect, if a bit chilly at night and in the mornings. Jeff and I had a great time riding with Pam Downs on Saturday. When we lunched in Santa Margarita we saw this dog that really made the sidewalk look comfortable.
On Sunday Sue joined Jeff and I at Star Farms. Sue had real allergy problems over the weekend and was unable to ride.
Pam and Teri Duffy did a great job chairing the event and all the folks who pitched in really helped to make this a truly great club event.
After last night's fantastic dinner we folded up camp this morning and went home. Last night was spent talking, telling stories and drinking good wine. It was a great trip making new wonderful memories. That's what our club is all about.
We had a nice ride to Star Farms and back. The weather was moderate. Now it's time for a yummy dinner!
After a hardy bike club breakfast we had a fantastic day riding today with perfect weather in the upper 70's and low 80's. Pam Downs, Jeff and I had a great ride to Santa Margarita through the unique country around here. Rolling hills, giant oaks and fields of wine grapes were the order of the day. We really had a fun ride, as did so many other folks in our bike club today. Sue had a day to herself shopping and doing the things she likes to do. Tonight is the wine and cheese party. We are really looking forward to that.
As long as my laptop battery lasts, I will keep these reports coming!
Today Sue, Jeff, Pam, Harold and I spent the day going to wineries. It was a great day and we had tons of fun. We tasted some yummy wine too! Meanwhile, the rest of the riders arrived and the rally is in full swing!
It started off cool and overcast. But, the sun is out and it looks like a great day. We had breakfast at Margies, and Harold and Diane came in and sat next to us. Today we are going wine tasting, we have a map and everything! This will likely be my last blog post as I forgot to bring a power cord. Our dinner last night at Bistro Laurent was wonderful! This looks like a great weekend coming.
Here is a photo from yesterday:
Live from the Great Western Bike Rally
Sue and I are in Paso Robles. Jeff drove the the bike club's chuck wagon down. The club has a nice area and plans are being made for the weekend's activities. The weather is great, not too hot!
Sue, Jeff and I went out to a great dinner in downtown Paso. That was a lot of fun. It looks like a great weekend taking shape.
Yesterday evening we had great weather for the whine and dine bicycle ride and party. About 30 people rode the ride and a good number of those went out for the dinner after. What more could you ask for: good food, wine, beer and great friends on a warm late Spring evening! The riding was fantastic, the streams along the roads were running and the lake was full. The group I was riding with had a deer run along beside us off the side of the road as we descended down Shannon hill. That was too cool for words!
More weekend update
Suddenly the weather has changed and it is great riding weather again. On Saturday I went for my 40 mile ride and on Sunday Sue and I rode to La Foret, the restaurant we were married in in 1994.
Summer is a month away and it has still been raining. Hopefully the clouds will go away. I am ready to do some serious bike rides.
All the ads combined (at best) bring in $17.50 per month revenue and (at worst) either:
The queue for the July issue is here:
http://homepage.mac.com/s_sloan/bbb/200507/
Paul Vlasveld will be hosting the mailing party for this JULY issue. He said:
I will be hosting the JUNE Mailing Party (for the July issue) on June 23rd at 7:00pm
Call 24hrs in advance so I know how much pizza to order and cookies to bake.
Paul Vlasveld
789 Daffodil Way
San Jose, Ca 95117
408-247-6472
Remember this is the mailing party for the July issue being held in June that Paul will be hosting. The June issue mailing party, to be held this Thursday, is not changed.
~Steve
In the June issue of the Black and Blue Bottom [1 MB PDF] are some of the bike racing photos I have taken over the last couple of months. Years ago I was a newspaper photographer and I shot a lot of sports. I still love to do it and have really enjoyed some of the artistic effects I have been able to get using my Digital Nikon camera. I hope you like the pictures!
~Steve
This is the version sent to the printer
This is the production version of the June 2005 BBB, the newsletter is posted here. As we do not have a location for the June mailing party it was listed as location not determined at publication date.
~Steve
This is a 20 page issue
The last "alpha version [ definition here ]" of the newsletter is posted here. The first 19 pages should not have missing content. The last, back page is not done. Be advised as we do not have a location for the June mailing party it will be listed as "location not determined at publication date.
~Steve
The first "alpha version [ definition here ]" of the newsletter is posted here. It is just the first 13 pages and may have missing content! More will be posted as it becomes available.
~Steve
The queue for the June issue is here:
http://homepage.mac.com/s_sloan/bbb/200506/
There are no PDF files posted yet.
My garage was broken into early morning on May 12th. I live in the Cambrian area of San Jose. It seemed as though they were in just to get all my bike stuff so I'm just making a list and asking people to keep their eyes peeled just in case they notice anything suspicious concerning anyone trying to get rid of some pretty expensive bike stuff. If you notice anything, please call the SJPD at: 408-277-8900 (311 in San Jose). The case number is 05-132-0216. OR you can call me and I'll get the information to the police. Here's my number: 408-406-4608.
ALSO, Please pass on the document to your friends you ride with around the area and some of the local clubs and teams just in case anyone sees or hears anything.
Thanks a whole bunch,
Dave Hanel
Tonight is the deadline for storys for the June edition of the BBB. Next week we will be in production again. Here is another photo I like from yesterday's race:
Today's Cat's Hill Crit Bike Race was thrilling. The weather stayed dry and the racing was intense. I think everybody had a good time watching the race. I know I did!
