ALERT: $1,000 For Finding Hit & Run Driver

Aaron Freitas (left) is offering a $1,000 reward

My Team Bicycle Trip/Symantec teammate and Capitola, California resident, Aaron Freitas (photo) was sailing down Old San Jose Road on Saturday, May 5 around 1:30 p.m. with his friend Buck Lyons, when Aaron was sideswiped by a car and knocked to the ground. Luckily he only suffered a concussion, six broken ribs, a collapsed lung, a broken collarbone, broken scapula and cuts and scrapes.

I talked with Aaron on Monday at the Santa Cruz stage of the Tour of California and he was in surprisingly good spirits - obviously beat-up bad, in a sling and bandages. But he was already talking about riding and racing again and determined to do something to bring the hit-and-runner to justice. He has put up $1,000 reward money for anyone providing information leading to a conviction. I wanted to pass this along and ask you to keep on the lookout when you're riding around here and especially in the Santa Cruz Mountains, and on and near Soquel-San Jose Road.

Other hit-and-runs
According to the Santa Cruz Sentinel, "Other recent collisions include one on Highway 1 that claimed the life of 35-year-old Joshua Laven, whose body was found on May 4, hours after he was struck while riding near Wilder Ranch. The CHP is looking for a 1999 to 2004 Dodge Ram pickup in that case. And in the past year, two bicyclists were killed in hit-and-run collisions on Empire Grade Road and Soquel-San Jose Road.

It would be great if we could catch these nutcases. Lyons, who also crashed trying to avoid riding over Freitas, saw the car that hit Aaron and described it as "an older model Audi wagon that was a "muted dull shade," perhaps grey or tan or off-white."

The Sentinel reports that "CHP officer Grant Boles said they are still working to find the driver, but have little to go on. He asked those with information on the case to call 662-0511."

Here's the complete Sentinel article.

If it happens to you
For what it's worth, I have twice "found" drivers who tried to knock me off my bike by swerving at me on the backroads of Santa Cruz. It was only by riding off the road and almost crashing that I avoided injury or worse. But I paid close attention so that I could recognize the car if I saw it again.

Then, to find these losers, I drove to the road where it happened on the same day of the week at about the same time as the incident. I parked, waited and watched. Both times, the vehicle that had tried to run me off the road came past and it was a simple matter to take their license number and file a full report to the police. In one case the driver was arrested and lost his license in court. Not enough of a penalty but at least it got him off the road for awhile.

Ride safe and always stay on the alert for insane drivers - I've run into them in every state I've lived in, and even when I was a long-distance runner - so it's not just cyclists who need to be careful. Sorry if this sounds bad, but it's true and it's better to be prepared and careful than to become a victim.

Jim

Tour of California 2012 - An Amazing Race

The finish at Cabrillo College

Wow, what a day for cycling fans in Santa Cruz County. From dawn to dusk on Monday, May 14, it seemed like every road was packed with race fans setting up camp to view the action, and pedaling to spots from Bonny Doon to Felton to Soquel and Cabrillo College to cheer on the Amgen Tour of California tourmen as they pounded up and down our roads.

So that you can enjoy some of the local action, here's a video of the crash about halfway up the Bonny Doon climb and some photos I shot. Also check out Caletti Cycles' photos as they were at another scenic spot in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

With some of my Bicycle Trip/Symantec teammates, I rode up to the Bonny Doon - Ice Cream Grade intersection - getting heckeled the entire way by earlybirds already chalking the road and partying while waiting for the peloton. Once the pack passed our spot, we raced the race, shortcutting down Soquel Ave to take a straight shot to the finish line at Cabrillo.

All the way, we picked up other riders and had a fast and easy access to the finish thanks to the California Highway Patrol that had closed interesections, was stopping cars and waving cyclists through. So cool.

Enjoy the pics and let's all help bring the Tour of California back for 2013!



The crash took place right where we were standing so we had a great view of the resulting chaos. Video by Mark Boolootian (below in black).

Tom Boonen!

George Hincapie heads to the team bus

Peter Sagan took the win with his incredible last corner and sprint

BIKE VIDEO: Racer's Eye Vid of the 2011 Tour of California

Good morning race fans,
In anticipation of the Amgen Tour of California's visit to Santa Cruz on Tuesday, May 14, I've been looking for good videos to share from last year's race and I found this one. It's among the best TOC movies I've seen because it was shot from within the peloton using a GoPro camera. These mini cams weigh little and mount almost anywhere.

I'm not usually a fan of the typical footage cyclists capture with these ingenious cameras, which is usually geared toward recording your own ride for enjoying it afterwards. But whoever was behind the GoPro in this TOC film knew how to keep it interesting.

Apart from the having to put out 300+ watts all week long just not to get dropped part, it almost makes this professional stage race look like something fun to try!



If you're viewing this in your email and not seeing the video, here it is.

Good rides!
Jim

NEW BIKE BOOK: Must-Read for Classic Hollywood Fans

Love the classics? You need Hollywood Rides a Bike

With all the rain we're having in the Bay Area, I thought I'd tell you about a wonderful new book that's helping me ignore that fact that the riding's miserable right now.

Based on his acclaimed Rides a Bike website, Steven Rea's new coffee-table treasure Hollywood Rides a Bike, Cycling with the Stars is +/- 160 pages of gorgeous, mostly black-and-white photos of the greats of Tinseltown pedaling, beside or around often beautiful vintage bicycles, which were regularly used as free, quiet and fun transportation around the expansive and almost always sunny Paramount, Warner Bros., RKO and Columbia studios.

I can't put this book down, mesmerized by the sensational professionally produced glossies of 190 Hollywood legends on bikes as cool as they are, and in such fascinating settings and poses. Plus, every picture is captioned with film critic and bicycle lover Rea's insightful remarks and trivia (I had no idea that "platinum bombshell" Jean Harlow died at only 26 or that horror star Vincent Price could ride a highwheeler - and no-handed!). Many also include the actual studio notes provided with the photos when they were released to the press way back when.

There's a tanned James Stewart taking a break during the filming of Hitchcock's Rear Window, riding double on a Phillips 3-speed with Grace Kelly sitting sideways on the top tube. There's Lauren Bacall made up to the nines, reclining against a parked bicycle and enjoying a cup of coffee. The studio notes (from January, 1945) read, "She's dynamic, is easily the most photogenic subject who has come to films in many a day. Lauren prefers slacks, sweaters and bicycles to dresses, silk stockings and open cars. She likes to be free and unencumbered, she says." And there on page 60 is a teenage Elizabeth Taylor riding along a sidewalk, as Rea writes, "her whole extraordinary career and all those marriages and tabloid headlines ahead of her."

Hollywood Rides a Bike is a celebration of classic Hollywood and bicycles and one of the most unique and satisfying books to come along in a while. If you like movies as much as I do, you'll love it.

Jim

NEWS: Amgen Tour of California Upcoming Events

There are some local fundraising events coming up for the Tour of California's visit to Santa Cruz on May 14, so I'm spreading the word far and wide. Here's the line-up so far. I've also included one of the race posters. Be sure to click to zoom it. And if you missed it, be sure to watch the video about our stage.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS (lots of good food and cool prizes)

March 13 6 - 9pm - Evening of Inspiration! Hosted by Café Sparrow (great food)

Get to know local superstars and Tour of CA riders Andy and Ben Jacques-Maynes.
Hors d’oeuvres, wine, 3-course gourmet dinner and raffle of signed Tour of California jersey from Chris Horner! $100 per person http://www.tourofcalifornia-santacruz.com/content/evening-inspiration

April 17 5pm - Auction and Dining at Shadowbrook (more good eats)
A percentage of the evening’s sales are donated to the Local Organizing Committee (SCCCC) when you mention “Amgen.” Don’t miss out on the Silent Auction in the Rock Room Bar!
A week in Hawaii, three days on Lake Tahoe, tandem paragliding flights, zip lining passes and much more! http://www.tourofcalifornia-santacruz.com/content/silent-auction-shadowbrook

April 29 8 am - 1pm - Slow Coast Green Fondo Ride by Velo Cruz.
A beautiful 56-mile ride, prizes awarded: Calfee Bike Frame, ride in Team Type 1 car from SF to Aptos, VIP passes at Aptos finish line. 3:30 - 6 pm dinner at Main Street Garden and Café is included. http://www.tourofcalifornia-santacruz.com/content/slow-coast-green-fondo

Get involved and keep checking the website for updates as more activities will be added:
www.tourofcalifornia-santacruz.com


Thanks for supporting the race everyone!
Jim

BIKE VIDEO: Amgen Tour of CA Returns to Santa Cruz!

Calling all race fans!

It may take place a couple of months from now, but it's never too early to start planning your ride or trip to experience one of America's greatest cycling events, the Amgen Tour of California, an 8-stage, 750-mile professional road race from Santa Rosa to Los Angeles that will thunder over Santa Cruz County's challenging and famous climbs and descents during Stage 2, Tuesday, May 14.

Already the many local group rides are buzzing about sending the boys down crazy-steep and twisty Jamison Creek Road and then making them scale 2,250 feet in about 5 miles over more-vertical-than-Bonny-Doon (which has decided the race in previous visits to Santa Cruz) - Bear Creek Road, before the fastmen careen down Old San Jose Road at highway speeds and sprint for the win at the Cabrillo College finish.

Watch the video and click the course profile beneath it to learn more about what could be one of the key stages in this year's TOC. And if you get a chance, say thanks to Santa Cruz County Cycling Club's Maura Noel, who almost single-handedly, and with her own money (!), brought the race back to Surf City. Yay, Maura!!

Click to zoom!

I'll see you on the course May 14th! For those of you viewing this in your email here's a link to the video.
Jim

Bike Art: Do You Know This Cycling Sculpture?

Happy February spokesfolks,
My friend Bob Gelman just found this sculpture and he and I know little about it. So I told him I'd post photos here and ask you all to take a look and comment if you can offer any clues. Beneath the three photos of Bob's statue, I put pics and a video of a few more well known works you might enjoy.

About this mystery piece, Bob says,

"I asked the eBay seller and all he knew was that he got it at an estate sale and that it was supposedly orginally purchased at an upscale gift shop in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin and was supposedly, titled The Peloton in Full Flight.  He also said he could not find a signature or other ID marking on it (I'll certainly look it over carefully when it arrives... maybe I'll find something.... I've watched Antiques Roadshow on TV!). From the pictures it seems like the faces and entire bodies could be identical molds in different shapes. It seems of much higher quality than most of the usual shoddy cycling "statues" one sees offered. It measures 12 x 12-inches and is comprised of resin and metal. Any and all help is appreciated, and if I find out more I'll let you know."

Please take a look and comment if you know anything more about Bob's find. Thanks!

Front

Side

Back

And, here are a few other notable cycling statutes. The first is of Major Taylor and one I hope to view in person the next time I'm back in New England. Having read two excellent biographies of Taylor, and knowing that he was almost forgotten, it would be wonderful to see it. 

Photo by Chris Kostman. Statue dedicated in Worcester, Massachusetts in 2008 

I have seen the next statue, which stands on the top of a pass above Lake Como near the Italian shrine to cycling, the Madonna del Ghisallo. But the day we were there it was so foggy and cold I could barely make out the details unfortunately.

Statue near the Madonna del Ghisallo cyclists' shrine

This may be among the largest of cycling statues and I bet it's impressive in person. I know some people pile up, or stack or weld together recycled bicycles in the name of art and that makes a large "statue," but I wish they would instead repair the old bicycles used in these creations and give them to needy people.

  

"Le Tour de France dans les Pyrenees sculpture - 1995

There are lots of whimsical bicycle statues out there and oddities like bicycle trees, but genuine sculptures of bicycles and cycling are pretty rare in my experience and it's always rewarding to see them.

Good rides!

Jim