eubi posted the link for a Boy Scout Cycling Merit Badge (http://www.meritbadge.com/mb/039.htm) on another thread. I thought it seemed like a good test of cycling skills. Could you pass it?
Boy Scout Merit Badge Requirements
CYCLING
1. Show that you know first aid for injuries or illnesses that could occur while cycling, including hypothermia, heat reactions, frostbite, dehydration, insect stings, tick bites, snakebites, blisters, and hyperventilation.
2. Clean and adjust a bicycle. Prepare it for inspection using a bicycle safety checklist. Be sure the bicycle meets local laws.
3. Show your bicycle to your counselor for inspection. Point out the adjustments or repairs you have made. Do the following:
a. Show all points that need oiling regularly.
b. Show points that should be checked regularly to make sure the bicycle is safe to ride.
c. Show how to adjust brakes, seat level and height, and steering tube.
4. Describe how to brake safely with foot brakes and with hand brakes.
5. Show how to repair a flat. Use an old bicycle tire.
6. Take a road test with your counselor and demonstrate the following:
a. Properly mount, pedal, and brake including emergency stops.
b. On an urban street with light traffic, properly execute a left turn from the center of the street; also demonstrate an alternate left turn technique used during periods of heavy traffic.
c. Properly execute a right turn.
d. Demonstrate appropriate actions at a right-turn-only lane when you are continuing straight.
e. Show proper curbside and road-edge riding. Show how to safely ride along a row of parked cars.
f. Cross railroad tracks properly.
7. Describe your state’s traffic laws for bicycles. Compare them with motor-vehicle laws. Know the bicycle-safety guidelines.
8. Avoiding main highways, take two rides of 10 miles each, two rides of 15 miles each, and two rides of 25 miles each. You must make a report of the rides taken. List dates, routes traveled, and interesting things seen. The bicycle must have all required safety features. It must be registered as required by your local traffic laws.
9. After fulfilling requirement 8, lay out on a road map a 50-mile trip. Stay away from main highways. Using your map, make this ride in eight hours.
Depending on what you count as a main highway there might not be any 50 mile rides near me that I would want to do.
How old are these scouts? 8 hours for a 50 mile ride seems a bit slow to me.
caloso
01-29-07, 03:16 PM
"... adjust the steering tube" ?
N_C
01-29-07, 03:49 PM
Yes I could earn a merit badge. Very easily in fact.
I was a cycling merit badge counselor a few years ago. I had to teach, using the cycling merit badge counselor hand book, the scouts how to do these things.
And guess what? I had to register with the Boy Scouts to be a counselor & so I was covered under their insurance. OMG I had to have some sort of certification before I could teach this stuff! :eek: :rolleyes:
eubi
01-29-07, 04:08 PM
Depending on what you count as a main highway there might not be any 50 mile rides near me that I would want to do.
How old are these scouts? 8 hours for a 50 mile ride seems a bit slow to me.
Scouts as young as 11 has participated and completed the 50 miler in under 8 hours, with no problem. Yes, it is slow, but the idea is to plan the rides so there are things to do along the way. It's a grind for an 11 year old to just cycle for 50 miles! They have to train for the 50, by doing two 10, two 15, and two 25 miles rides.
So we geocache, talk on the HAM radio, stop at parks, have lunch, and birdwatch to break the monotony.
We use the San Gabriel River Trail in Orange and Riverside counties for most of the rides. We use Old Temescal Canyon Road for our on-road rides.
Keith99
01-29-07, 04:35 PM
Scouts as young as 11 has participated and completed the 50 miler in under 8 hours, with no problem. Yes, it is slow, but the idea is to plan the rides so there are things to do along the way. It's a grind for an 11 year old to just cycle for 50 miles! They have to train for the 50, by doing two 10, two 15, and two 25 miles rides.
So we geocache, talk on the HAM radio, stop at parks, have lunch, and birdwatch to break the monotony.
We use the San Gabriel River Trail in Orange and Riverside counties for most of the rides. We use Old Temescal Canyon Road for our on-road rides.
Makes a lot more sense now that you pointed out that those 8 hours includes breaks to do things. So more like a cycling nature hike.
Guess I'll always be a bit put off because of the old red cross lifesaving test. Passing was 440 yards in 18 minutes. A good high school competitive swimmer could do it in under 5. Seemed to me this was a dangerously lax standard. (Remember this was for someone who was going to be a lifeguard, someone who others would depend on).
Young as 11 makes a difference too. I'd also assume not all, possibly not most, of the bikes are built for speed.
I did like that it has some bike maintenence included. You might want to consider adding some emergency repair training/ testing also. Booting a tire and using a chain breaker to turn a bike with a broken derailer into a single speed comes to mind.
It has been a long time, but if I recall correctly there is a 78 mile loop that can be done on the San Gabriel and Los Angeles river bike paths. Some street riding at the beach, but not nasty streets. The paths then meet at whittier narrows if I remember correctly. With a pickup truck one could even chop off part of the inland end to cut it to 50 miles or have a good bail out planned. One advantage is that there at least used to be some interesting bird life in the last few miles before the beach.
ghettocruiser
01-29-07, 06:30 PM
Haha, the first word that jumps out is "hypothermia".
Good call.
But a 50-mile ride? That's harsh.
I seem to remember doing 16km, which was tough going on a BMX when I was a kid.
eubi
01-29-07, 06:33 PM
I did like that it has some bike maintenence included. You might want to consider adding some emergency repair training/ testing also. Booting a tire and using a chain breaker to turn a bike with a broken derailer into a single speed comes to mind.
As luck would have it, I got a sidewall blowout 10 miles in to the 50. They all learned how to boot a tire with duct tape!
I will give the chain breaker tool a try. I have shown older Scouts how to use it, but it may be difficult for young guys. We'll see!
IIt has been a long time, but if I recall correctly there is a 78 mile loop that can be done on the San Gabriel and Los Angeles river bike paths. Some street riding at the beach, but not nasty streets. The paths then meet at whittier narrows if I remember correctly. With a pickup truck one could even chop off part of the inland end to cut it to 50 miles or have a good bail out planned. One advantage is that there at least used to be some interesting bird life in the last few miles before the beach.
I did a lot of early morning training rides on the San Gabriel River path and also use it during my commute to work. Although I never had any problems, it's a very tough area south of Whittier Narrows. If I had the guys bike there, I would keep the group very close together!
cydisc
01-29-07, 06:33 PM
I've already got mine. I'm surprised the requirements are pretty much the same as I remembered them.
I remember quite vividly my 50-mile ride. I had a Huffy Aerowind at the time (remember those?). It was a paved rural loop. I didn't realize just how many big dogs live in the country. I got chased by pretty much all of them. I recall (20+ years after the fact) having the valve stem blow as I was re-entering town. I was already past my 50 miles, so it wasn't a huge deal.
ghettocruiser
01-29-07, 06:50 PM
demonstrate an alternate left turn technique used during periods of heavy traffic
"Swerve across six lanes in two seconds, giving appropriate gestures with both hands."
I'm sorry, I just couldn't hold that in.
Dchiefransom
01-29-07, 07:12 PM
It would be interesting to find out what "main highways" means. That might limit me to laps around the industrial park. I could meet all of the requirements except one, my bicycle is not legal in California to ride after dark. Although I currently have the yellow pedal reflectors, they do not meet the Vehicle Code requirements. I have a recumbent.
Roody
01-29-07, 07:13 PM
"Swerve across six lanes in two seconds, giving appropriate gestures with both hands."
I could give the appropriate gestures with just one finger.
sbhikes
01-29-07, 07:23 PM
I could not pass. I'm not a boy. And I like gay people.
ghettocruiser
01-29-07, 08:05 PM
I could give the appropriate gestures with just one finger.
Only on a one-way street.
With two-way traffic, you would need one finger gesturing for each direction of motor vehicle travel.
Edit: Man, I would make a pretty bad boy scout these days.
kemmer
01-29-07, 08:05 PM
I could if I registered my bike!
Bacchusbill
01-29-07, 08:31 PM
I earned that badge when i was a scout 25 years ago and I did all of the rides on my BMXer.
Bekologist
01-29-07, 09:24 PM
NOPE- I don't have a counselor, and no foot brakes on my iron horses either.
aside from those disqualifications, yes, definetly. YESTERDAY, on a long mountain bike ride, I gave a buddy a salt tablet from my first aid kit and a banana for the potassium when he started cramping up about 4 hours in. He's not in very good shape and had been sweating a lot during the day's climbs. I had a knife, compass, matches, duct tape, extra clothes, etc......in my bag-o-tricks as well.
Roody
01-29-07, 09:43 PM
NOPE- I don't have a counselor, and no foot brakes on my iron horses either.
aside from those disqualifications, yes, definetly. YESTERDAY, on a long mountain bike ride, I gave a buddy a salt tablet from my first aid kit and a banana for the potassium when he started cramping up about 4 hours in. He's not in very good shape and had been sweating a lot during the day's climbs. I had a knife, compass, matches, duct tape, extra clothes, etc......in my bag-o-tricks as well.
You certainly meet the qualification of "Be Prepared." What emergency gear do you carry when you're riding in the city? Were you ever a boy scout up there in the UP?
Bekologist
01-29-07, 09:56 PM
emergency gear for city riding? dog-n-driver spray, a 20 dollar bill, some extra blinky batteries, frame pump, bandana. whistle. :)
Boy scout, in the UP? yep.
Mountain Rescue team member out West, yep.
Winter Backcountry ski patrol volunteer, Mount Rainier Nat'l Park, check.
"BE PREPARED" is a caveat I learned while in scouts. Scouting is one of the best training grounds for young men to learn how to become a quality adult these days, in my opinion. and Explorer scout troops let in young women too.
slagjumper
01-29-07, 10:09 PM
Not with a fixed gear, unless you have brakes!
kemmer
01-30-07, 01:13 AM
emergency gear for city riding? dog-n-driver spray, a 20 dollar bill, some extra blinky batteries, frame pump, bandana. whistle. :)
In Utah, it's illegal to blow a whistle while riding a bike.
Daily Commute
01-30-07, 02:49 AM
Show proper curbside and road-edge riding
Except on busy highways, you should only rarely ride on the road edge. As long as the merit badge pamphlet doesn't encourage curb hugging on every street, it looks good.
CommuterRun
01-30-07, 03:04 AM
I couldn't pass it until they do something realistic with requirements 6.e. and 8. Hugging the curb is dangerous, and I don't ride in circles.
Everything else is easy.
eubi
01-30-07, 06:15 AM
I couldn't pass it until they do something realistic with requirements 6.e. and 8. Hugging the curb is dangerous, and I don't ride in circles.
Everything else is easy.
Not sure I understand. We learn the proper lane positioning depending on the conditions. I agree, hugging the curb is not proper technique, and we don't do it. In fact, we discuss the wording of CA law:
21202.
(a) Any person operating a bicycle upon a roadway at a speed less than the normal speed of traffic moving in the same direction at that time shall ride as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway except under any of the following situations... (edited for brevity)
"Practicable"...I love that word! A license to steal!
We discuss CA law regarding bike lanes. I don't necessarily agree with the placement of all bike lanes, especially when they're in the door zone. but we have to start somewhere. That's where the rest of CA law 21201 comes in.
We cover the hazards of the "door zone" in requirement 6e.
Also, where did you get the idea we ride in circles? Out and back, loops, or point to point, yes. What other kinds of bike rides are there? Are you confusing the Requirement 8 with Dchiefransom's post #11? :D
Roody
01-30-07, 10:06 AM
I think the merit badge is great. Lots to quibble about, but the Boy Scouts get the spirit of cycling just right, IMO. Earning this merit badge would be challenging, and it sure sounds like fun, especially with somebody like eubi as a leader. If you show kids (or adults) how much fun cycling is, they'll figure out the "serious" aspects later*. Like walking, cycling is one of the few lifelong pursuits that are both fun and practical. That's why we should be teaching it to our kids.
* By serious, I mean the use of bikes for transportation, utility, fitness and athletic competition.
kjmillig
01-30-07, 10:14 AM
I could not pass. I'm not a boy. And I like gay people.
True, girls can't earn merit badges. Liking gay people is not a diqualifyer though. I have several gay friends, and I'm a 30 year BSA veteran.
Y'all like my avatar?
Roody
01-30-07, 10:36 AM
True, girls can't earn merit badges. Liking gay people is not a diqualifyer though. I have several gay friends, and I'm a 30 year BSA veteran.
Y'all like my avatar?
You may have gay friends, but if you were gay yourself you wouldn't be allowed to be a scout leader or a scout. Shameful but true, at least the last I knew of it. I hope my information is outdated.
MisterJ
01-30-07, 11:06 AM
Yes. This week in fact.
Roody
01-30-07, 11:12 AM
Yes. This week in fact.
You mean you're getting a Cycling Merit Badge this week? I hope you'll tell us about your experience.
Keith99
01-30-07, 11:33 AM
I think the merit badge is great. Lots to quibble about, but the Boy Scouts get the spirit of cycling just right, IMO. Earning this merit badge would be challenging, and it sure sounds like fun, especially with somebody like eubi as a leader. If you show kids (or adults) how much fun cycling is, they'll figure out the "serious" aspects later*. Like walking, cycling is one of the few lifelong pursuits that are both fun and practical. That's why we should be teaching it to our kids.
* By serious, I mean the use of bikes for transportation, utility, fitness and athletic competition.
Yes he does seem to have it dialed in pretty well. Reading between the lines and thinking of his replys, even moreso than the raw documentation given here.
Some thoughts for possible interesting rides.
West Fork of the San Gabriel River. 7.1 miles in and out. Slight uphill going in. That makes a very nice ride to 'push it' when just beginning as getting back is point down and coast, minimal or no braking needed. At 6.8 miles is the last picnic area. At 7.1 is where the road turns up to make it to the top of the Dam. For adventure you could do your own hill challenge here. It is pretty steep at least 15%, I think it is 20%. This one could also kick in with either a service project or at least a lesson. The first 100 yards or so is often pretty trashed. The bathroom at the start of the 'trail' is disgusting. There is a second bathroom about half way in. It has always been clean and nice when I have been there. This is actually a one lane gated road, rangers and dam keeper only. There is fishing, might be catch and release only, no barbed hooks, or might be low limit, or might have different seasons. I don't remember.
Nearby along the East Fork is Shoemaker road (I think). It is a climb and a dead end. Might be nice for practicing climbing. At the end there is a fire gate and the road continues on as a dirt road. You might think it is a fire road, but it is too good. Do not remember how long this is, less than 5 miles I think. I don't recall the dirt part as being too steep. Sort of interesting as this ends with two tunnels. Sort of like 'The Bridge to nowhere' fairly close along the east fork of the San Gabriel.
CommuterRun
01-30-07, 03:34 PM
Thanks, ebui, for clearing up 6.e. for me. I could pass that one.
I love the word "practicable." To me it means any situation it applies to, such as "as far right as practicable," is ambiguous and it's my call as to what is safe for me.
On 8., I suppose it would have to be defined what is meant by "main highway." To me that could mean any numbered county or state highway. If I'm wrong on that, please let me know.
CommuterRun
01-30-07, 03:36 PM
Y'all like my avatar?
I do. When I first saw it I thought is was the symbol for the Colt Delta Elite. Then I pulled out my Delta Elite and saw it wasn't exactly the same, but pretty close.:)
SingingSabre
01-30-07, 03:56 PM
Nope.
I have no counselor to show my bike to...
Roody
01-30-07, 04:56 PM
Nope.
I have no counselor to show my bike to...
Show it to that grumpy old guy who works at the bike shop. He'd be happy to help you.
kjmillig
01-30-07, 05:36 PM
For those unfamiliar with Boy Scouting, my avatar is the Cycling Merit Badge. The silver ring denotes it's one of the badges that may be earned to fulfill the "required" list for Eagle Scout.
Helmet Head
01-30-07, 05:37 PM
Not sure I understand. We learn the proper lane positioning depending on the conditions. I agree, hugging the curb is not proper technique, and we don't do it. In fact, we discuss the wording of CA law:
21202.
(a) Any person operating a bicycle upon a roadway at a speed less than the normal speed of traffic moving in the same direction at that time shall ride as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway except under any of the following situations... (edited for brevity)
"Practicable"...I love that word! A license to steal!
We discuss CA law regarding bike lanes. I don't necessarily agree with the placement of all bike lanes, especially when they're in the door zone. but we have to start somewhere. That's where the rest of CA law 21201 comes in.
We cover the hazards of the "door zone" in requirement 6e.
Also, where did you get the idea we ride in circles? Out and back, loops, or point to point, yes. What other kinds of bike rides are there? Are you confusing the Requirement 8 with Dchiefransom's post #11? :D
Yes, practicable is a great word, leaving us a lot more room for judgement, if you will, then a bike lane stripe does. 21202 is not applicable on roads with bike lanes. On roads with bike lanes, the applicable law is 21208, which says the cyclist must ride in the bike lane instead of "as far right as practicable" (otherwise 21208 is almost identical to 21202).
But I also like the "operating ... at a speed less than the normal speed of traffic moving in the same direction at that time" wording which implies that when fsdt (faster same direction traffic) is not present, 21202 does not apply at all. When you start paying attention to this, you realize that except maybe at peak commute times, most roads are absent of fsdt much of the time, periods during which there is no obligation to keep right whatsoever. In addition, any time congestion slows traffic to or slower than a cyclist's speed, or a downhill helps the cyclist reach traffic speeds, the obligation to keep right legally vaporizes.
And your "editing for brevity" resulted in the omission of the very important list of exceptions that in and of themselves effectively nullify the law entirely in most urban and suburban settings. For example, in any residential neighborhood, you're constantly in the state of "approaching a place where a right turn is authorized" (every driveway), which is one of the exceptions. And another great exception is the one for substandard width lanes, which means we have no obligation to keep right when riding in a lane that is not wide enough to be safely shared side-by-side by a bike and a vehicle (this exception is missing from 21208 obviously because a lane plus a bike lane is supposedly inherently "wide enough to be safely shared").
Anyway, when you put it all together, there are very few occasions -- mostly along long stretches of intersectionless road (including no driveways), with wide outside lanes (or bike lanes that are clean), and fast/busy traffic (few if any long gaps) -- during which I feel legally obligated to keep to the right in California.
There aren't too many places that meet those conditions in urban/suburban southern California...
Bekologist
01-30-07, 05:58 PM
bleaugh. Were you a boy scout, mr. head?
kjmillig
01-30-07, 08:33 PM
Sure am glad I don't live in SoCal. HH, way too much analyzing. Sounds like you need to go for a bike ride.
sbhikes
01-30-07, 08:46 PM
You are being misleading, HH. The law for bike lanes states that whenever there is a bike lane, you must use it if you are moving slower than normal traffic speed. Leave the lane only:
1. When necessary to pass another bicycle, vehicle or pedestrian.
2. When getting ready to turn left.
3. When necessary to avoid parked cars or other objects.
This seems to leave you plenty free to practice your daffy liminal lane partying or whatever that is.
See this link for more information:
http://www.chp.ca.gov/html/bicycleriding.html
eubi
01-31-07, 06:03 AM
On 8., I suppose it would have to be defined what is meant by "main highway." To me that could mean any numbered county or state highway. If I'm wrong on that, please let me know.
This is a tough one, and in the strictest sense, I have come to the realization that I may be violation of the merit badge requirements.
We do our rides on-road, on trails, on MUP's, and a mix of all three. The first rides are on the MUP, so I can assess how well the guys would do in traffic, adjust their riding technique, adjust their bikes, etc. The 25 and 50 milers are done mostly on the Santa Ana River Trail MUP.
By the time we do the big ride, we have already ridden all parts of the course used for the 50. Since the guys know the route, it reduces the chances that they will get off track. I have an adult at point and an adult at sweep so no one gets dropped or gets too far ahead. I set certain locations/landmarks for meeting points and the guys know what I'm talking about. I let them spread out to reduce the chance of crashing. I find the guys tend to ride on each others wheel, and in spite of my nagging, we've had ride-ending crashes.
I really like to get the guys to do these rides when they are young. It's a huge confidence boost. If anyone takes me to task about not riding 50 miles on road, I'll invite them to discuss it during a 50 mile bike ride.
Hey, 50 miles is 50 miles!
joejack951
01-31-07, 06:34 AM
You are being misleading, HH. The law for bike lanes states that whenever there is a bike lane, you must use it if you are moving slower than normal traffic speed. Leave the lane only:
1. When necessary to pass another bicycle, vehicle or pedestrian.
2. When getting ready to turn left.
3. When necessary to avoid parked cars or other objects.
This seems to leave you plenty free to practice your daffy liminal lane partying or whatever that is.
See this link for more information:
http://www.chp.ca.gov/html/bicycleriding.html
Sorry, Diane, that website is misleading. The real wording of the law (found with all of the other traffic laws) states exactly what Helmet Head is saying. If there is no faster same direction traffic at the time, you have no obligation to use the bike lane. Why would anyone care if you didn't?
It seems quite common for state sites to have special little bicycle riding sections which reword the real traffic laws however they see fit, usually in such a way that it sounds a lot like the real law but leaves out some important words. These important words, like "the normal speed of traffic moving in the same direction at that time" as opposed to simply "the normal speed of traffic" change the intent of the law. I would report that page to the DMV and have them fix their error.
SingingSabre
01-31-07, 07:52 AM
Sorry, Diane, that website is misleading. The real wording of the law (found with all of the other traffic laws) states exactly what Helmet Head is saying. If there is no faster same direction traffic at the time, you have no obligation to use the bike lane. Why would anyone care if you didn't?
It seems quite common for state sites to have special little bicycle riding sections which reword the real traffic laws however they see fit, usually in such a way that it sounds a lot like the real law but leaves out some important words. These important words, like "the normal speed of traffic moving in the same direction at that time" as opposed to simply "the normal speed of traffic" change the intent of the law. I would report that page to the DMV and have them fix their error.
An argument about the laws of CA is most unwelcome in this thread.
That's all I'm going to say.
Roody
01-31-07, 07:55 AM
Reminder: This thread is about the Boy Scout Merit Badge, teaching kids about cycling, and BF members ability to pass the Merit Badge requirements. It is not about bike lanes. Please stay on topic. The forum moderators have provided a sticky thread for the endless arguments about bike lanes.
genec
01-31-07, 08:03 AM
Well, I got the swimming merit badge... the cycling one doesn't seem that difficult.
joejack951
01-31-07, 08:12 AM
An argument about the laws of CA is most unwelcome in this thread.
That's all I'm going to say.
You are correct that I was way off topic. I apologize for finding it so difficult to let misinformation stand uncorrected :)
To post on topic, my nephew is a boy (or cub?) scout and my sister has asked me to be involved when they start working towards their cycling merit badges (I believe it's this spring/summer). Should be fun.
Helmet Head
01-31-07, 09:41 AM
Roody, et. al.
Part of earning this merit badge is showing knowledge of the bike laws in one's state.
The topic about CA law was raised in this thread by a boy scout (eubi).
It is also not inappropriate to correct misinformation in any thread, regardless of the topic.
I am curious, Diane, what is it specifically that I wrote that you found misleading? I suspect that all that was misleading was your own misinterpretation of what I wrote. Please read my post more carefully and let me which statement or statements were misleading. Again, this is not off topic because it addresses understanding of bike law, which is part of what earning this merit badge is about.
eubi
01-31-07, 09:52 AM
I'm guessing the OP never got a cycling merit badge! :p
Hahaha. AlmostTrick posted this on the "Buzzing Pedestrians" thread Chud started. My take...
Before we go on the first ride, I discuss the traffic we will encounter on the MUP. Peds, runners, skaters, other cyclists, and FAST cyclists. I tell the guys to let people know before they pass anyone. Bikes are silent (or should be :D) and it's very easy to startle (and subsequently piss off) whoever you pass. I've taken to saying "Passing" about 30 feet behind the slower individual, and that's what I recommend to the Scouts. Even with earbuds in they can hear us, and peds and runners typically respond favorably.
I tell the guys that the more skilled you become at something, the more you realize the impact your activity has on others. So let's all be considerate on the MUP, and we'll all have a good day out.
:D
LittleBigMan
01-31-07, 10:03 AM
Neat post, Rood.
Keith99
01-31-07, 10:10 AM
Hahaha. AlmostTrick posted this on the "Buzzing Pedestrians" thread Chud started. My take...
Before we go on the first ride, I discuss the traffic we will encounter on the MUP. Peds, runners, skaters, other cyclists, and FAST cyclists. I tell the guys to let people know before they pass anyone. Bikes are silent (or should be :D) and it's very easy to startle (and subsequently piss off) whoever you pass. I've taken to saying "Passing" about 30 feet behind the slower individual, and that's what I recommend to the Scouts. Even with earbuds in they can hear us, and peds and runners typically respond favorably.
I tell the guys that the more skilled you become at something, the more you realize the impact your activity has on others. So let's all be considerate on the MUP, and we'll all have a good day out.
:D
Just want to point out that the Santa Ana, San Gabriel and Los Angeles River paths are all pretty good. Long open sections, minimal numbers of street crossings. They actually are paths where fast cyclists are not unreasonable. They are a reasonable place for a 50 mile ride. If eubi were using the Santa Monica Beach path for a 50 mile ride I might take him to task for going with a bike path. But the river paths are pretty close to ideal to keep a ride fun while getting to a milage number with kids at different levels.
I would also have taken eubi to task if I thought his course did not include street riding and street riding instruction. But it is clear it does, just that the long rides are not about that environment.
LittleBigMan
01-31-07, 10:29 AM
The forum moderators have provided a sticky thread for the endless arguments about bike lanes.
...a sticky thread for endless arguments about bike lanes...
Sort of like a piece of tape stuck on your finger and you can't get it off without it sticking to your other finger... :D