Memorial Ride

Please ride with us on Wednesday, June 17th to commemorate the tragic deaths of three Boise cyclists, Jim Chu, Kevin Pavlis and Tom Bettger, and to increase driver awareness. Here's a recent Statesman article about these senseless and tragic deaths:
http://www.idahostatesman.com/eyepiece/story/800283.html
• The ride (about 20 mi) will start and end in Camel's Back at 6:45.
• The route stops by the places Jim, Kevin and Tom were hit. The proposed route:http://www.mapmyride.com/edit_route?r=743124500479959603
• Please wear black, and if you like, please write a message you'd like motorists to hear on the back of your shirt.
• Also, please bring flowers for Jim, Kevin and Tom to leave at the sites where they were hit.

We're all angry, but please bear in mind, the intention of this ride is not to piss motorists off, but to increase awareness and express our grief (as well as make a statement that we are here, we are outraged about these needless deaths, and we demand respect and the slice of road to which we're entitled). Keep that in mind as you go into this ride. My gut reaction was to have a true disruptive "critical mass" but after considering the email replies I've gotten, I think we might get our message out better if our level of disruption wasn't quite so overt. We want safer drivers who are more aware of cyclists and the recognition that there are a lot of us out there.

I think this will make a big statement, all of us riding together with flowers, in black.

This coincides with some of your group rides. Do this instead. Bring your friends.

This Wednesday, June 17
5:45 pm
Start and finish at Camel's Back park
Be there

Not again...

Drink Beer Ride Bikes Crew sends prayer to the family and friends of Kevin Pavlis. He was a great rider and always had a wonderful attitude. I offer our services if the family or community needs help with anything.

We encourage all cyclists in the community to contact your local and statewide government to help pass laws to prevent this from happening.

“We must do more as a community to make bicycling safe. We must increase traffic enforcement citywide and explore changes to traffic laws to better protect bicyclists; we must continue to invest in more bike lanes and better traffic signage; and finally, we must do more to educate motorists about bicycle safety and bicycle awareness.” Boise Mayor Dave Bieter

A Little Group Bonding

Okay, recently it dawned on me that I while I was in Amsterdam last year, I saw something that I want in Boise (other than my sweet saddlebags, of course). I strongly urge Blackhappy and Captain Fran to find some time at work this summer and build one.

It's a bicycle built for not two, but twelve. Awesome.
It's a taxi...I think. Awesome.
It's got a Captain's seat - to "put an F in it." Extra awesome.
Oh, and there's a spot for a bartender to pour the beers; that's where I'd like to go.


(The picture may be too small to see that the riders' feet are not on foot rests, but pedals; you got to work for your beer!)

-Lemon Out

The Hollow

One of our favorite local brew pubs - The Hollow has almost everything you need for a wonderful Sunday afternoon. Known to the locals as the Hollow and officially named the Highlands Hollow - it is a place to be during ski season or bike season. They brew one of the best stouts in town and happen to share with some of our other favorite places! The patio is nice and comfy with little noise and great service! The one down fall - no nachos!!!! WTF! It was almost perfect! Order the fries when you go - they are some of the best in town flavor wise and price wise!
Alright - the route! From downtown - Head North on tenth street, cut through Boise High and hang a left on Front. Go West until you hit Harrison Blv. - take a right (north) and straight up to Bogus Road! The Hollow will be on your left!

Dirty and Pink kicked ass!!!

Of course we all have been busy Drinking Beer And Riding Bikes - again that's why we haven't posted in a week!

Picks of our craziness will be added soon - but most of all we want to express our great thanks to all who helped put on the Dirty And Pink Alleycat!!! This was by far the hardest and most trying race we've ever done, Fuck it was great!!!! Megan and Charlie really out did themselves. They had three races going one at the same time for 130ish women.... Brave souls! But it was fantastic! There was a gear division, cruiser division, and the Date Race - which was a mix of endurance and creativity! Vixen, Lemon Pepper, Whateva, & myself did the date race. We estimated all miles combined and routes it was around 45 miles! Regotti & Sara (and hundreds more) did the other races. Did I mention that it was a flash flood in Boise that day!? It dumped and dumped - but it was soo fun! What a great celebration of the bike community! Thanks to all who participated - especially our new P-Town buddies! I'll let the pics tell the rest......!
Drink Beer Ride Bikes!

We'll only nag you every once and awhile

You know that we love to ride our bikes and have a good time. But in doing so we want all our crew members to be safe! There is a point where you have to say - "I'm drunk and can't get on my bike, I'll walk it home." Or "Can I stay over I might die going up that hill."

And if you aren't drinking and you are just out for a good ride, remember to watch out for road hazards! Just in case you don't know here is the bike laws in ID! If your friends that drive cars don't know either - pass this along!

IDAHO STATE LAW

SECTION 49-714: TRAFFIC LAWS APPLY TO ALL PERSONS ON BICYCLES AND OTHER ‘HUMAN-POWERED'VEHICLES – DUE CARE!.

Bicyclists are operators of vehicles and must comply with all applicable traffic laws. The appropriate law enforcement officials can issue those cyclists, who violate and law, at any time, a citation.

SECTION 49-716: CLINGING TO, OR FOLLOWING VEHICLES.

DO NOT DRAFT BEHIND ANY VEHICLES! Cyclists shall not follow a vehicle so close as to constitute an immediate hazard to either the cyclist or other participants. Cyclist shall not “attach” him or her to any vehicle on the highway.

SECTION 49-717: POSITION ON THE HIGHWAY.

All cyclists shall position themselves as close as practical to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway, except:

a) When overtaking or passing another bicycle or vehicle proceeding in the same direction.
b) When preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway.
c) When reasonably necessary to avoid conditions including fixed or moving objects, parked or moving vehicles, other bicycles, pedestrians, animals, surface hazards or substandard-width lanes, which may make it unsafe to continue as close to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway.

SECTION 49-718: RIDING TWO ABREAST.

Cyclists shall not ride more than two (2) abreast on highways, except on paths or parts of the highway, set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles, and only when it is safe to do so, where traffic is not blocked or slowed, or other cyclists are forced to swing out wide to pass. Cyclist riding to two (2) abreast shall not impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic, and shall ride within a single lane on a “laned” roadway.

SECTION 49-720: STOPPING – TURN AND STOP SIGNALS.

Cyclists shall slow down, and if required for safety, stop before entering intersections. When approaching a steady red traffic-control signal, all cyclists shall stop before entering the intersection or junction, except that the cyclist, after slowing to a reasonable speed and yielding the right-of-way if required, may cautiously make a right-hand turn without stopping, or may make a left-hand turn onto a one-way highway without stopping. Cyclist shall use arm signals, when safe, to alert vehicles and other cyclist s approaching from behind, to indicate turns.

Other considerations: Arm and hand signals should be used as a courtesy to warn other cyclist of potholes, rough patches of pavement, broken glass, gravel and rocks, obstacles and any other potential hazards.

Signal, if you intend to pull of f the highway or drop back to the rear of your group.

Call “car back” if you know of any vehicle approaching from behind.

SECTION 49-722: BICYCLE RACING.

Racing on Idaho highways is prohibited.

Pace lines are prohibited in high areas of vehicle or bicycle traffic and are limited to a maximum of seven riders. (The Ride Idaho staff does not recommend pace lines on any portion of our routes)

From the IDAHO DRIVER'S MANUAL (October 2007)

Bicycles are legally allowed to ride on all Idaho roadways, have the same rights as motorists, and are required to ride with the flow of traffic. They must ride as close to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway as safety allows, except when passing, turning left, avoiding an obstacle, or when the roadway does not allow a bicycle and vehicle to travel safely side by side.

In Idaho, cyclists do not need to come to a complete stop at stop signs. They must, however, yield the right-of-way to vehicles in or already at the intersection, and then proceed with caution through the intersection.

Bicyclists may proceed with caution through a red light after stopping and yielding the
right-of-way to vehicles already in the intersection. They do not need to come to a complete stop when turning right on a red light. However, they must yield the right of way to vehicles already in the intersection.

Our buddy Hotti Regotti took blackhappy over here for his first time!

Here is a little write up about Roosevelt Market:

Roosevelt Market311 N Elm Street Boise www.rooseveltmarket.com

This is a great little neighborhood market in the northeast end of town. While very small, they pack a whole lot in. They have coolers of soda and beer, a great wine selection, and a sandwich/ice cream/coffee shop all in one place. The patio is set up with a few umbrella covered tables and misters to keep you cool. On a warm bike riding kind of day, ride on over, order up a homemade egg salad sandwich and potato salad side, grab a cold beer from the cooler, and enjoy on the patio! To get there from downtown, follow main street across Broadway where it turns into Warm Springs Avenue. Go a few blocks east on Warm Springs until you reach Elm Street. The market is just a few blocks north of Warm Springs!

Thanks Hotti for the write up!