riders collectivethe paved highway stops and the sphincter-puckering begins, bolivian drivers...

riders collective

©Aggrezine™ Publishing LLC. All material used with permission and © original sources. Cover photo ©Chris Gough

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a cyclist’s sampling of some of the Web’s best blogs, ride reports, tips, videos, reviews, and photographs

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august 2010aggrezine

www.riderscollective.org august 2010 1

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My most memorable cycling experiences have involved riding straight through the night.

Rolling along in pitch blackness, aiming at the headlight’s spill of illumination, let’s you experience both sensory deprivation and overload simultaneously—a curious hyper alert dream state.

Then, at the first feeble sign of daylight, I imagine what it must have been like for prehistoric man, afraid in the dark each night, not knowing if the sun would ever reappear. They must have felt wonderment each and every morning.

Paul S. Kramerpublisher, editor, designer, and cyclist r c ’

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ewww.riderscollective.org august 2010 2

Alongt he

AbyssA 28-kilometre

track that clings to the cliffs of

the Bolivian Andes holds an

irresistible allure for thrill-seeking cyclists

by TOM GIERASIMCZUK

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along the abyss

ometimes you have to let the numbers

speak for themselves, and when it comes to

one of the planet’s most harrowing

mountain-bike rides, to spin insightful anecdotes would

only obscure its majesty.

the specs: a descent from 4,700 to 1,100 metres

and a 31/2-kilometre vertical loss in just over

four hours through ecosystems ranging from

glaciers to cloud forests to the high amazon. as far as adventure-travel

superlatives go, few exude the intrigue of

bolivia’s “world’s most dangerous road.”

you can hike along the Great Wall of China or climb

mount kilimanjaro in africa. but for truly

unnecessary risk that could only be legal in a country

that is both the third poorest and one of the most isolated in the hemisphere, you must climb onto a mountain bike

and descend 3,600 metres from above the tree line into

the amazon.

the world’s most dangerous road is not some national tourism campaign concept targeting suicidal masochists. this thread of dirt road that clings to the cliffs of the andean mountain range as it weaves downhill from the summits northeast of la paz, the bolivian capital, into the verdant, choking tropical jungles of the northern yungas regioncan trace its notorious nickname to the inter-american Development bank. the bank’s yardstick? Deaths per mile. known officially as the unduavi-yolosa highway, its 28 kilo-metres have claimed thousands of lives over the past 60 years. in the nineties, at least one vehicle was going over the edge every week or two (depending on whom you asked). since most bolivian drivers stuff their vehicles to three times their capacity for optimal fares, between 10 and 40 might die in each plunge. thousand-metre drops don’t give back many survivors.

bolivians take the route because it is the only way for farmers of the fertile yungas valley to transport their fruit, vegetables, coffee and cocoa

S

The world’s

most dangerous

road is not some

national tourism

campaign concept

targeting suicidal

masochists.

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along the abyss

leaves to the buyers in la paz. in a country where 70

per cent of the eight million inhabitants live in poverty—

earning less than $3 a day—the threat of a landslide

cannot get in the way of trying to make a buck.

espite—or, let’s face it, because of—the body

count, the road is being packaged by

entrepreneurial bolivians and expats

as an adrenaline must for backpackers plodding along the southern leg of

south america’s Gringo trail. at the road’s nascence, where the paved highway stops and

the sphincter-puckering begins, bolivian drivers

pausing to chew coca and pray to andean deities for

safe passage are increasingly being joined by tourists with

rented trek and kona hardtail mountain bikes.

Getting to this point is the easy part. after meeting in

one of a dozen offices belonging to various

outfitters in downtown la paz and dropping between

$55 and $70 to tempt death (free t-shirt included!),

D

groups pile into a toyota hiace van and leave the capital behind. ascending through the shantytowns of crumbling adobe homes that explode in the hills surrounding la paz, the van and the mountain bikes on its roof rack get stares from the normally indifferent indigenous residents. soon the city has disappeared, and eager adventurers are saddling up at la Cumbre. at 4,700 metres above sea level, this is the ride’s highest point.

this wide, paved highway with stunning snowcaps and few vehicles is a delicious prelude to the muddy narrows of the death-road entrée. if you resist the brakes (and all logic), you can hit 70 klicks easily. but if the skies open with high-altitude rain, going even half that speed will have your face feeling like a windshield with nerve endings.

Gravity seems to peter out about 30 kilometres later, at a military checkpoint where fresh-faced military grunts scan russian trucks, shiny suvs and transport buses for cocaine or the raw paste from which it’s made.

where the paved

highway stops and the

sphincter-puckering

begins, Bolivian

drivers pause to chew

coca and pray to Andean

deities for safe passage

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along the abyss

a little past the checkpoint, the pavement ends. north american, aussie or kiwi guides take stock of their

groups and, for the umpteenth time, outline

the road’s precariousness, while throwing in a bit of

history and speculation about its future.

uilt by prisoners of the Chaco War between

bolivia and paraguay from 1932 to 1935, the

road and its days of carnage may be

numbered. the bolivian government began

constructing a safer, paved, two-lane alternative in 1995 but the lack of financing for

an unforeseen tunnel has postponed the project

indefinitely. once the new highway is eventually

completed, however, the world’s most dangerous road

will be little more than a bike trail, and the dreaded

trip from la paz to Coroico will take just a couple of

hours. With nervous whoops, the ride begins, sometimes

in front of lunching bolivian bus passengers unable to

fathom how someone could

b

drop the equivalent of a month’s wage to risk their life on the road they have no choice but to travel.

suddenly, the road turns nasty. Wide tracks narrow into three-metre-wide hairpin turns. but, as far as local traffic is concerned, this is still considered a two-way road.

in parts the sun rarely shines, blocked by overhanging cliffs and the waterfalls that run off them. the omnipresent drizzle turns puddles into rivers. the only “guardrails” are crosses placed by grieving relatives. and you never know quite the amount of hang time you’ll have if you go over the edge, because the fog hovers just above the canopy below, obscuring the valley floor.

slowly, the temperature begins to rise and ears pop with the loss of altitude. the half-way point is marked by a large cross donated by the israeli government to commemorate the site where an israeli girl, fooled by one of the road’s 200-plus turns, plunged to her death in august, 2001. remarkably, she’s the only mountain-bike

The only “guardrails” are crosses

placed by grieving

relatives.

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along the abyss

casualty to date. It’s an awful place for lunch, but two or three groups a day

stop here anyway.

rom here, the pine forests give way to jungle

vegetation and pained wrists and

shoulders give way to a manageable numbness that remains for hours after the ride. The road

flattens out, but that means the oncoming

traffic speeds up, so the danger of going over is

replaced by the threat of getting run over.

The ride ends in the humid hamlet of Yolosa, where local kids ask the

filthy visitors for a spin on their bikes. Most comply,

elated and gracious and just now realizing that

they’re trembling.

Tom Gierasimczuk is the editor-in-chief of up! magazine <upmagazine.com>, WestJet’s award-winning in-flight publication. Tom traversed the “world’s most dangerous road” in 2002 with Gravity Assisted Mountain Biking, which he highly recommends. Some details in his report may have changed since his trip.

fthe

oncoming traffIc

speeds up, so the

danger of going over

is replaced by the

threat of getting run

over

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posted by bike lemming

safe a nd so u ndhow to ride to work without

losing your dignity or your life

The Healthy Energy Bar

buy a box of

24!

www.drwillbar.com

My name is

Alex Ramon.The purpose of this site is to help people learn how to fix their own bikes. While I don’t work in a shop anymore, I still have all of my tools, so I might as well share what I know.

VIDEO TUTORIALS

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safe and sound

Get one of those blinking lights You want to be seen, get a blinking light for the back at least... Seriously you’re hauling all of your shit along in either a backpack or panniers anyway, a blinking light isn’t going to put you over any weight limit or make you look any sillier, and it might just save your life when a driver is smoking, drinking coffee, and talking on her cell phone while putting lipstick on.2

Find a safe route The lemming doesn’t like smelling exhaust or getting honked at or getting passed too close. Hell, I drive my car down Watkins to Peachtree, that doesn’t mean I ride my bike on that same route. Google Maps has this really cool thing called street views that show the actual street view, plus you can pull and drag the route on a map to a different route. Use it and find a safer and more tranquil way in to work. Your lungs will thank you, your stress level will thank you, and your family will thank you.1

CO-RIDER.com MID/FRONT-MOUNTED CHILD’S SEATS

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safe and sound

Get a squeeky horn Many others riders don’t like to wave, if you are a person who needs the acceptance of others this can put a serious damper on your day. The solution is a squeeky horn. Meet another rider and squeeze this little guy and you’ll warm the hearts of nearly everyone, except triathletes and CTS athletes who may be too serious to smile for fear of going out of their heart rate/power zone. This also works as a horn when cars are about to turn in front of you.

Wear the bike shorts, but leave the yellow jersey at home - We all have our favorite jerseys and shouldn’t care what others think, but the fact of the matter is we don’t want to continuously defend spandex to co-workers. So a baggier mountain bike jersey is in order... It’s still closer fitting, still sweat wicking, but it looks like a t-shirt. Or...

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Durable so the wrap has lasting value

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Compare cycling to other sports If you feel the need to wear spandex and want to fight the futile fight of de-fending it to co-workers you can sim-ply say, “Why do you wear a glove and hat when you play softball?” or “Why do you need a bib in an all-you-can-eat buffalo wing contest?” Of course, there is a third option...

Self-deprecation Everyone likes hu-mor. Just say, “Well, I’m off to put on my clown suit, hopefully you don’t run my slow ass over on the way home.” This will get a laugh and ease the tension that throttle pushers might experience as they get into their car to sit in traffic as you ride along on your safer route listening to birds sing and watching rabbits mate.

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ewww.riderscollective.org august 2010 1 1

safe and sound

Bicycle Aidfor Africa

www.re-cycle.orgYou have to try it to believe it!

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Magic Masseusethera-pulse massage and pain relief

For stress and tension, back and neck painIncreases circulation • Strengthens musclesRelaxes muscle spasms • Relieves sciatica

Feels great —Reduces stress

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safe and sound

The spongebath The better option, sans shower, is the sponge-bath. However, don’t do this in your work bathroom unless you don’t have access to another bathroom on some other floor where your co-workers don’t go, as defending the sponge bath will be worse than defending spandex. And if you do find a bath-room like this, then beware of closet dumpers. Closet dumpers are co-workers who roam the floors looking for remote bath-rooms to take a dump in so that they won’t have to face co-work-ers coming in or going out, but that’s a whole other topic. 8

Obviously having a shower at work would be “the bomb” as I be-come a sweaty mess no matter how slow I try to ride. However, not everyone is this lucky. Please, PLEASE, do not take a container of Wet Ones along, wipe yourself off with that, and expect that it’s as good as a shower. Anyone who says that “does the trick nicely” has probably never actually done that, just like most people who talk about city limits sprints or practicing something in a grassy field have probably never done that either. Smelling like alcohol wipes all day is not a good thing, and you might just attract the wrong kind of attention. 7

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comingfull-cir

cle What do you get when you cross a couch potato with a cyclist? The perfect customer for the latest people mover—a carbon fiber, two-wheeled, electric wheel chair. —by Jim Peipert

penny farthing—big wheel in front and little wheel in back.

That’s about all that’s similar to previous bikes. The

Yike Bike is miniaturized, foldable, carbonized and electrified.

In November, Time magazine listed it as one of the 50 best inventions of

2009. “It’s like getting your first Big Wheel all over again—and you

don’t even have to pedal,” Time said.

One blogger wrote that it looks “like a

unicycle with a training wheel.”

What’s not to like about the Yike Bike?

For starters, the price. Ac-cording to the Yike Bike web-site, delivery of the first batch of

100 of the the revolutionary—or

perhaps, devolution-ary—bikes is targetted

for sale late this

Is The Yike Bike WhAT hAppeNs when bicycle design comes full circle?

since the 1880s and 1890s, when bicyclists shifted from the high-wheeled “penny farthing” to the “safety bicycle”—a bike with front and rear wheels of equal size—the basic geometry of the bicycle has been much the same.

Materials and compo-nentry have changed

dramatically. But, at first glance or

from a distance, a century-old safety bicycle could be mistaken for a modern bike.

Not so with the Yike Bike, dreamed up in New

Zealand by inventor and entre-preneur Grant Ryan. It’s a whole

different animal. But its geometry is reminiscent of its ancient ancestor, the

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coming full circle

month in New Zealand, the United Kingdom and selected other european countries at a price of around $3,000. For that, you could buy a pretty good road bike.

purists also wouldn’t like the fact that you don’t pedal the Yike Bike. You just sit on it and steer it around with handle-bars that wrap around your posterior, sort of like a sit-down version of a segway.

Its major attraction, however, is its portability. The carbon-fiber Yike Bike folds up into a compact package of about 21 pounds that fits into a bag that you can sling over your shoulder. It has a range of about six miles before its lithium phosphate battery requires a recharge. Time magazine says the battery can be charged to 80 percent capacity in 20 minutes. ’

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/stewiedewie/4399795342/

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reflectionsalong lostlake trailRosemary Austin, author of the trail guide Mountain Bike Anchorage and a member of the Alaska Dirt Divas, posts a ride report—but not the kind you’re used to reading.


lost lake trail

How can I descrIbeemerging from a sweaty climbwhere I’ve pedaled my bicycleso slowly on the needle-covered trailthat I am no longer outrunning the mosquitoesand biting fliesthat I thought were done tormenting us

for the season,emerging through a break in the treesto a cut bankwhere the trail curves around a knollto feel the breeze that has traveled from the oceaninto the gulf and up the bay, over a mountain passuntil it washes over me and dries my sweat?

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lost lake trail

and how can I describethe moment I witnessthe trail winding and dipping before me,disappearing over a hillockonly to emerge beyond a tarnas it draws a line alongand over and betweenthe contours of the high pass?

and how can I describe to youthe relief of removing mysalt-stained jersey,shorts, bra and socksbefore stepping precariouslyover rocks unexpectedly smoothor sharpto ease myself gentlyinto one of those tarnsperfectly warmed by the long summer days’ sun,one inch at a time,water over ankles, calves, knees, thighs,until plunging under?

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lost lake trail

Then to surface,feel the breeze raise bumps acrossmy skin before I sink,water washing over my shoulderswater surrounding me,as I tilt back my headinto the cooling, still waterclear water left over from winter’s snowspring meltmixed with sweet rainwater?

How can I describe this to you?

Rosemary Austin is the author of “Mountain Bike Anchorage,” the trail guide for biking in the Anchorage area, which is published by Near Point Press. She spent over 10 years working in an Anchorage-area bike shop and is a founding member of Alaska Dirt Divas, a women’s cycling group; and Singletrack Advocates, a group that builds skinny trails. She enjoys many modes of bicycling, especially mountain biking and touring.

She lives in Anchorage with her husband, Jon Kunesh, and their cat.

Read more at: akbikegirl.blogspot.com

All photographs by the author.

Leaving Las Vegas,snowshoes and poles on his back, the author attempts to cycle-then-hike up to the summit of Mt. Charleston, 10,000 feet up from The Strip.

From the blog “Cedar & Sand”

Gambling on the Weather

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gambling on the weather(1) I’Ve had My SIGhTS on MT. CharLeSTon since the first time I visited Las Vegas more than 10 years ago. rising a whopping 10,000 feet from the Strip, Mt. Charleston is the most prominent peak in all of nevada and is the 8th most prominent peak in the U.S. My desire to conquer this beast festered to a fever pitch during the three years I lived in Vegas, but school and family simply kept me too busy to make an assault on its 12,000-foot summit.

(4) I woke up at 3 am, threw my gear into my well-worn ‘94 honda, and prayed it had one more long road trip left in her. arriving at the junction of US-95 and Lee Canyon road (elevation 3320 feet) I geared up and headed up the road.

(3) after taking two weeks off of work to welcome our new baby into the family and helping out around the house as much as I could, Susie rewarded me with a free one-day pass. There was no debate on where to go. I was sure it was time to tackle good ol’ Mt. Charleston. and with such an impressive prominence, I knew I had to do it as an ultra-climb and start my ascent at the base of the mountain.

(2) now, living 250 miles away, the logistics had gotten much more complicated.

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gambling on the weather

(5) despite the promising weather conditions, I went prepared for just about anything.

elevation markers helped keep track of my vertical progress. The absence of the 7000-foot marker caused a mini-mental meltdown, but the jubilation at the first glimpse of the 8000-foot marker energized the legs.

It’s pretty rare to find Joshua trees above 6000 feet. But you have to expect a lot of biota mixing when you go from the lower Sonoran (low desert creosote brush and Joshua trees) to the Canadian (Ponderosa Pine, Quaking aspen) life zone in only 15 miles.

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gambling on the weather

(8) a short walk up the road leads to the Las Vegas Ski resort, closed and completely deserted for the summer.

Following an off-trail approach route I hiked straight up “The Line” ski run beneath Chair 2, bringing me to a small ski patrol station.

Past the patrol station, the route follows a ravine full of avalanche debris which made a pretty challenging obstacle course.

(6) as I climbed higher into Lee Canyon, I couldn’t help but notice the clouds building up around some of the higher peaks. nothing threatening yet, but I didn’t like the trend.

(7) 17 miles and 5200-vertical feet later, I reached the dolomite Campground where the campground host was gracious enough to watch over my bike as I set out on foot.

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gambling on the weather(9) Forking off of the ravine, the route heads up a steep chute that is usually filled with brush and talus this time of year (mid June). But due to the hard winter we’ve had in the Southwest, the chute was full of about 6 feet of consolidated, icy, and quite slippery snow (I really need to get some crampons). one slip-up here and it would be a long and fast slide down to the bottom. But I was confident if I took the time to kick in good foot-holds and dig in with the ski poles, I’d be oK.

(10) after topping the ridge line, I got my first glimpse of the north face of Charleston through the ever-thickening clouds.

The good news was that I had intersected the main well-maintained trail at which point I’d hoped would be the beginning of an easy stroll to the summit.

Those plans were quickly thwarted however when the fog turned into an outright blizzard.

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gambling on the weather(12) It’s hard to fully express the frustration of getting so close to accomplishing a huge goal and coming up just a little short. after 20 miles and over 8200 feet of climbing, I was forced to throw in the towel. I was within 1/2 mile and 300 vertical feet of the top and had to turn back. It was actually a very easy decision to make. The ability to gauge what you can and can’t do safely is the key to surviving long solo adventures. My gut told me there was no guarantee I could cross the crusty snow without a fatal slip. There were no other options and within a few seconds (and a few choice words), I headed back the way I came.

(13) as I descended off the mountain, the storm began to clear, and I began to wonder if I could ever get motivated to repeat my efforts in the future. Initially, I didn’t think I could do it but after returning back to my car, I turned around to look at the mountain in its entirety, and it, defiantly, looked down on me. It was then that I knew someday I’d be back.

(11) The falling snow was not bad to deal with. It was the existing snowfields piled deep on Charleston’s north face that became a serious problem. here, the trail has been built on one of a series of narrow ledges of limestone. and for long stretches, steeply sloped snow completely covered the trail making it way too risky to traverse.

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I want it painted blackcyclofiend.com is your source for viewing more than 1200 examples of classic, ‘cross, single-speed, and working bikes. Here, 37 classics, each wearing formal black attire.

2008 IF Steel Club Racer; down-tube friction shifters; threaded fork; Nitto post, bars, stem; Paul cantis; stainless couplers; sterling silver head badge

Number refers to bike’s i.d. on cyclofiend.com’s list of classic bikes

607

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painted black

c.2003 Custom touring; Reynolds 725; stainless lugs, couplers; NOS Campy Super Record

1975 Motobecane Grand Record; Campy Nuovo

Record rear; Sedis gold chain;

Weinmann center pulls; Nitto Pearl 9 stem

554

376

090

135

786

773

542

541

509

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painted black

1980 Raleigh Competition GS; original paint and decals; Reynolds 531; Nuovo Record shifters, seat post, headset, front derailleur

Rivendell Bombadil; Phil

Wood 130 bracket;

DiaCompe 987 brakes;

champagne cork fender spacer

766

621

626

205

752

531

047

530

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painted black

~1980 Raleigh Competition GS; Nuovo Record 3-arm crankset, derailleurs; Nitto Technomic stem; Schwinn Union bullet headlight

1972 Cinelli Speciale Corsa; chrome fork

crown; Nuovo Record components

676

725

074

587

037

470

407

379

367

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painted black2007 Mike Terraferma custom; True Temper OX tubing; Henry James lugs; Campy derailleurs, brakes; White hubs

c.1975 Raleigh International;

new paint, decals; Sakae crankset; Dia

Compe center pulls; Poste

Moderne stem; Shimano

derailleurs

767

789

067

720

789

463

725

376

140

Kogswell P58; lugged; Shimano 105 components; Nitto moustache bars; Velo Orange fenders; Mavic MA3 wheels

2006 Rivendell Atlantis;

custom paint; Phil Wood BB;

Ultegra headset; SKS

fenders; Nitto stem, bars;

Sugino crank

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676

274

368

343

221

329

480

509

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The Lost Cyclist: The Epic Tale of an American Adventurer and His Mysterious Disappearance by David V. HerlihyReviewed by Julie Horton

It’s the late 1800s and the “safety bicycle” has just been introduced in the USA. The age of the high wheel is quickly coming to a close and America is mad about these new easy-to-r ide bicycles, featur ing same-size wheels . Bicycle sales tr iple from 1892 to 1893, spurred by new technology and publicity from magazines and newspapers that feature bicyclists who challenge themselves with around-the-world treks . The Lost

Cyclists tells the story of one such adventurer , Frank Lenz. It ’s also a recap of the investigation into Lenz’s myster ious disappearance, led by fellow cycle tourist Will iam Sachtelben. Along the way you will learn about the golden age of cycling, the state of the world in the 1890s, and the technological advancements that made the bicycle the vehicle of choice for the American public .

In 1892 Frank Lenz quit his accounting job and began his 20,000 mile, three-continent journey from Pittsburgh on his lightweight (30 pounds!), nickel-plated Victor bike. He was a renowned high-wheel racer and had built a reputation as a long-distance cycle tourist . Lenz requested that the bike come with recently invented pneumatic tires, a front shock absorption system, and a well-sprung and elongated leather saddle. The bike also came equipped with two sprockets on the rear hub so Lenz could f l ip the rear wheel to engage either a high- or low gear.

Lenz also carr ied his own adaptation of a newly developed light-weight (20 pounds) Kodak camera on his r ide so he could take timed photographs of the

journey. In the past, cyclist tour ists would sketch highlights of their tours . Lenz was convinced that by becoming a prof icient photographer he’d be able to f ind a sponsor will ing to support his travels . The plan worked, and Lenz concluded a deal with Outing Magazine in April 1892. Outing had over 20,000 subscribers but was struggling f inancially and the editor , James Henry Worman, was sure that by including photographs Lenz’s ser ies would prove hugely popular. The editor agreed to cover $2000

(two times what Lenz made a year at his accounting job) in travel expenses. Lenz also insisted that a $3000 insurance policy on his li fe be taken out, payable to his mother.

Lenz began his outing in mid May of 1892 and disappeared in Turkey nearly two years later in early April 1894. David Herlihy’s book fabulously describes the pains, dangers and joys of the journey and its preparation in detail . It’s a fun romp across the US in the days before paved roads. Lenz bicycles through Japan, across China, the mountains of Burma, India, Persia, and is just weeks away from the “easy” final leg through Europe when he disappears. The story doesn’t end here though. We follow the investigation into Lenz’s

disappearance led by fellow bicycle tourist, William Sachtleben. Turkey is on the verge of collapse, and Sachtleben soon finds himself in danger as cultural tensions explode and hundreds of Armenians are massacred in Erzurum, located near where Sachtleben is staying, in October 1895.

Her l ihy ’s ta le i s a r ich ly deta i led and f asc inat ing combinat ion of genres— a mystery , a t r avelogue, and an incredible

journey through the ear ly h is tory o f b icycl ing . Julie Horton is the Director of Operations at ExperiencePlus! Bicycle Tours.

at the end, a look back

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