Google Maps Adds “Bike There”

With the surge of bicycling commuters across North America, Google has finally added a “bike there” option in their next-to-ubiquitous online mapping application. From Google’s description, it’s pretty much everything I’d hope it would be… Optimizing the route for bikes by “taking advantage of bike trails, bike lanes, and bike-friendly streets and avoiding hilly terrain whenever possible.”

While definitely handy for a guy like me who commutes on a regular basis – I can see this as a real boon for those thinking of getting into cycling either as a hobby, or as transportation. Rather than have to struggle through traffic and wonder if there were better ways to get from A to B, Google Maps now takes the guessing out of it.

As with all good things (it seems) this feature is only available in the States right now, but after the recent adoption of Google Street View here in Canada, I’m optimistic that Google Maps by Bicycle won’t be far behind!!

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Goldsprints & Good Times

This past Saturday BowCycle held a “Club Appreciation Night,” honoring their sponsored clubs with free run of a closed store, some killer deals and some Goldsprints mixed in for good measure.

For those unaware (as was I), a Goldsprint is essentially a roller race held in front of a crowd. In our case there were three track (ie. fixed gear) bikes attached to rollers. The rollers were attached to a laptop which then projected our progress over a 300m sprint.

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Pullin’ the plug

Sometimes I like to consider myself I fairly hardcore guy. When the goin’ gets tough, most times I’m able to hunker down, grit my teeth and get through it. I might not get there first, I might not get there smilin’, but I’ll get there.

With that said, there are times (albeit few) when a guy just need to come to terms with the fact that it’s time to throw in the towel. A ride a few weeks ago was one of those times.

It all started innocently enough. An email went out from one of the Deadgoats suggesting a roll through some of the more picturesque roads to the south of Calgary on the cx bikes. The weather was supposed to be grand, and I had missed the last group ride so I was eager to get out.

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Own the Podium

Canada’s “Own the Podium” has come under a lot of heat lately, in light of some peoples *disappointment* with Canada’s medal performance.

For those unaware of the Own the Podium is a program Canada launched in January 2005 to:

prepare our athletes to become the top winter sporting nation in the world by 2010. To achieve the goals of 2010, the focus of the program was to provide additional resources and high performance programming to Canadian athletes, coaches and support personnel.

- Wikipedia

One of the more notable condemnations of the program came when Olympic speed skater Denny Morrison called out the Own the Podium program specifically when discussing his disappointing 13th place finish. Specifically he mentioned the program not allowing him to train with his American training partner Shani Davis (who finished second) cost him a top spot.

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So I decided to try EPO…

Well, ok, not really. But despite our ethical views against doping both Sheldon and I have wondered over a beer or three just what it might be like.

Would we instantly feel like supermen and fly past our competition, ascending hills as if immune to gravity? Or would it be something more marginal… An increase based on our training volumes, finally beating those riders that tend to always edge us out?

I think I speak for both Sheldon and I when I say that it was always more of a conversational fantasy over beers rather than a curiosity founded in any type of reality. Whenever I actually think about something like that it kind of makes me a little queasy.

I just don’t think I could do it. It just wouldn’t feel natural. And realistically, at this point in my life, there’s absolutely no reason. I race for the sport and fun of it, any results I get are simply a bonus, not something I live and die by.

Well, it turns out that somebody else had similar thoughts, but actually decided to go through with it. The author takes you on an 8 month journey from a clean amateur cyclist training an average of 15-20 hours a week, to a chemically augmented version of himself.

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Itchin’ for spring

Ran across this ad the other day and it definitely got me itchin’ for spring. The open air, the open road, the catchy music. I just wish I could blast full throttle out of the saddle at all times like people in commercials can. A lot of the views actually remind me of some of what we’ve actually got on our doorstep.

Calgary welcomes BikeBike

It’s not every day you get a new bike shop in town – and definitely not every day you wander into said shop and barely recognize any of the bikes sitting on the floor. I think that’s part of what makes BikeBike so unique, it’s bringing something different to not only the bike scene in Calgary, but in all of Alberta.

I had a chance to sit down with Sean Carter, one of the owners of BikeBike and ask him a few questions:

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TransRockies – Alberta Bound

Just prior to the New Year I learned that the TransRockies was headed home.

In partnership with Travel Alberta the 2010 TransRockies now begins where it once finished. Riders will start in Fernie and ribbon through what is promised to be “the most spectacular scenery in North America” to a finish line in Canmore. For those us of living in Alberta and familiar with riding in the Banff/Bragg Creek area, many of the trails coming in the finish line will certainly feel like home.

I have to say, I’m stoked to hear about this seasons’ route changes. Though not on my schedule this season, I think the changes are due. Comparing last years TransRockies to many of the newer races (i.e. BC Bike Race, Intermontagne, etc.) the TR was a very different beast. You had to earn every checkpoint, there were no free rides from trailhead to trailhead – often resulting in a grind through many kilometres of somewhat dull logging roads. On the flip side, it sure made you appreciate the bombing descents and singletrack when it rolled out before you.

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Behind the Scenes of Life Cycles

A nice look at the two minds behind the upcoming film “Life Cycles.” If the way they strung this preview together is any indication of the quality and style of the actual film, I’m stoked for this one. They’re just hitting post production now, but after perusing the shots and teasers off the site I think this is going to be the type of film I really dig.

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Achilles heel

I usually don’t have sweets in the house – generally speaking I don’t really crave them, but there are some things, when placed in front of me, that have a tendency to disappear in fairly short order. The first are potato chips. Crisp, salty goodness… Should a bag open, it will not be closed until only crumbs remain (which usually doesn’t take long). The second are Guylian chocolates… Aromatic roasted hazelnut praline filling enrobed in silky Belgian milk chocolate… I will literally continue to eat these until I feel like I’m going to vomit. I cannot stop. It’s different for everybody though… Should you find yourself out to dinner with Sheldon and find crème brûlée gracing the menu you’re in for a treat. They might as well serve it with a straw ;-)

More recently Sheldon went to town at McDonalds – A very infrequent binge both he and I used to enjoy when I was living in Edmonton. Since he was going for a record, he posted his attempt: 2 cheeseburgers, 1 medium fries, 6 McNuggets, 1 McChicken, 1 Parm Chicken Wrap and a Coke. Impressive to say the least. So I decided to do the math:

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