Take Action Oct 24 350.org

Dear fellow cyclists:

Riding our bikes on roads and trails, we have access to parts of the world few of our fellow citizens ever see, and enjoy scenery that most people don’t notice whizzing by at 65 mph. By being active outdoors during all seasons, we as cyclists surely take note of our changing climate patterns – and we are able to directly impact climate change by choosing to ride our bike more instead of drive. We're asking you as a cyclist to take action on Oct. 24 in a one-day project that we hope will have some measurable impact on changing the world.

You spend much of your time riding your bike out in the elements. It is likely that you’ve noticed your local weather patterns getting less stable, less consistent, and more volatile. Climate change is having a direct impact on our world weather through significant melting of glaciers. In fact, scientists who have drilled glacial cores around the world tell us this melt is happening ever faster, to the point where in our lifetimes it may endanger billions of people, ecosystems, food production and more. So far, though, the political response to climate change has been too slow!

The cycling response has been great: 350.org is lucky to have the CLIF BAR Development Cyclo-Cross Team, Kashi Leuchs, Ted King, Adam Craig, Tom Danielson, Heather Irmiger, Lea Davison and more riders and teams supporting our cause.

Now, with the crucial negotiations looming on the horizon at the United Nations Climate Change Conference this December in Copenhagen, we can do something to help change that. The world's foremost climatologist, NASA's James Hansen, and his team last year declared that 350 parts per million co2 was the most carbon we could safely have in the atmosphere. That's a tough number, because we're already past it. At the moment, the atmosphere holds 387 ppm co2, which is why glaciers and Arctic sea ice are melting. Indeed, this research team cautioned that unless we got back below that number, then eventually the earth might well be ice-free.

The planet will scrub some of that co2, but only if we stop pouring more in. To move political leaders to take this seriously, 350.org is organizing a huge global day of action on Oct. 24, designed to drum that number into every head on the planet. So: we urge you to ride somewhere notable and visible on October 24 – by yourself, with a group, or at a race - and figure out some way to make the number 350 visible. What we'll need by day's end if possible, is a photo, uploaded to the web, of whatever 350 bike ride action you've figured out to do. We need a picture of you and 350.

A few days beforehand or a day or two after will work as well - the goal is simply to take this obscure number, arguably the most important number in the world, and make it the most well-known 3 digits on the planet. If we do, then it will set the bar for negotiators. At the very least, we'll have helped let the rest of the world know what the crucial reality facing the planet is.

If you can help, please contact Jamie Henn at Jamie@350.org.

Cyclocross season is here!

This past weekend was my first cyclocross race of the year in Breckenridge. I was really excited to start racing cross again and to see if I remembered how to dismount and run with my bike. Before this weekend I only road my cross bike for about an hour the week before and I felt pretty good but that was with no barrier in front of me. Once you actually have to jump over something it becomes a mental game. I was a little worried about running because two weeks before this I crashed pretty hard in a collegiate mountain bike race. I smacked my upper thigh pretty hard onto a rock and could barley bend it for a couple of days. So when I ran it really hurt. But I was not going to let that stop me from racing my bike.
I got to Brek about two hours before the start of my race. I warmed up really good and pre road the course a couple of times and really liked it. It looked like it was going to rain but it held out until the last lap so that was nice. The start of a cross race is very important. If you have a good start it is a lot easier to do well in the race. Unfortunately that was not the case for me. I got to the start about five min before the race but everyone else was already lined up, so i started near the back in the middle, and with the course pretty much shooting into a single track right off the bat I knew I had a lot of work ahead of me. I started moving up pretty quick and starting to get closer to the leaders. I was feeling really good and finally caught up to Conor and Robin and worked good together. Then it was Conor and I chasing the leaders down and really working hard but feeling good. With three laps to go I got a flat rear tire so that was my race. I was to far to get a wheel change so I just had to pull out. Kind of a disappointment that I had to pull out but at the same time I was feeling good so that a plus. It is early in the season so I will have many more opportunities. This weekend I will be racing again on Saturday in Boulder so I cant wait. You can feel the chill in the air now and that only means it is CYCLOCROSS season. I am really looking forward to the season and getting some good results. Can't wait.

Off to a rough start

Well this past weekend was my first weekend racing collegiate MTB of the year. I was looking forward to racing and testing out my new bike. We got to Beaver Meadows were the races were held at about 1030is at night and set our tents up and went to bed. woke up early the next morning for the short track race. it was a pretty cool course. I had an ok start and felt pretty good throughout the whole race. ended up 16th or something so not too bad. Then we ate some food and went to go pre ride the XC course for Sundays race. It was a pretty cool course with some good climbing and technical descending and i was feeling confident. Saturday night was cold, with some flurries and rain. Sunday morning was a lot nicer, the sun was out and it was warming up. Lined up at the start with probably around 50 or so racers ready to pin it to get to the single track like a min up the road. It started very fast like i was expecting and 30 sec into the races this metro guy tries to squeeze through a gap which was to small and clipped the csu riders bars right in front of me and they both went down hard, had to jam on the brakes and wait for them to move and i continued on. Started chasing and was feeling good climbing. then just about when the decent was starting I was coming up to a river crossing where I was going to dismount and run across, when i was just about to get off i believe i hit some roots and went flying over the bars. Smashing my upper thigh and shoulder hard onto a rock. I tried standing up and continue racing but i tried standing and couldn't. I thought i broke or a bone or something. So i sat there on the side of the trail as everyone else was racing. i sat there for about twenty min and then Garrison came through and carried my bike across the river and i walked across the river and then sat there for about ten min until i could get on my bike. I pedaled on legged down the trail because i could not bend my left leg very well or put any pressure on it. I found a fire road and coasted the rest of the way down. I got some ice on it and just waited to leave. Today my leg hurts really bad and i cant bend it that much. It's weird there is no bruises or anything, very tender to touch too. I am hoping it feels better soon. Planing on doing the cross country mtb race this weekend in sol vista and race my first cyclocross race of the year on Sunday just really hope my leg feels better by then,. But it is still early in the cross season so if it still hurts by this weekend i will just have to rest and let it heal up.


Short Track


Short Track


Short track


XC racers


Icing my leg after the crash

MTB Season

Looks like I will be doing some collegiate Mountain Biking again this season. I actually have a nice bike this year that is mine. A stumpjumper FSR 29er it is a really fun bike. Heading off to Fort Collins today at 3 for some racing this weekend. The other day I went over the bars pretty good so lets hope I feel ok this weekend and stay up right. Hope it is not too cold. I am off to class now to take a test, I will post something on Monday recapping my first MTB race of the season.

Ride your Bike!

A Reason to Bike from Brighter Planet on Vimeo.