Il Grande Fausto

[via Race Cyclocross]

Cyclocross returns to Florida

Saturday and Sunday were the first races on the Florida cyclocross calendar. Racers made their way north to Tallahassee and enjoyed two brutally difficult yet entertaining courses, beautiful weather and some great racing.

I don't have a ton of pics, but what I took is below. You'll see I spent a lot of time on my mountain bike after crashing hard in the Men's B race.

Got some photos or a link to a Web gallery? Send 'em in and share!

Epilogue | Earnest Foster

Earnest Foster served as president of the St. Petersburg Bicycle Club for several years and helped organize races, including the Spring Classic Ride in Manatee County and the Freedom Walk to raise funds for the St. Petersburg Deaf Service Center. He died Nov. 14, 2008. He is survived by his wife, Betty; seven children; 10 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren. Services were at 2 p.m. today at Anderson-McQueen Funeral Home in St. Petersburg. Click to read Stephanie Hayes' epilogue, "He loved the outdoors, so that's where Earnest Foster's legacy is"

Bringing history to LIFE

In the past week, Google has partnered with LIFE Magazine to bring millions of classic and historic LIFE photographs to Google Image Search. Most were never published and are available for the first time.

A quick search found plenty of beautiful cycling images. Check it out for yourself!

Photo above:
Multiple day bicycle race in progress at the Sportspalast or Sports Palace. Berlin. 1928. Photographer: Alfred Eisenstaedt.

Michael Franklin Bentley

Bicyclist dies in crash with car on Gandy Blvd.

This is why I avoid BOTH Gandy bridges, new and old. The road leading up to them just isn't safe. I know there are plans for the trail to extend that way, but we'll see if plans change with the bridge situation still up in the air.

November 13, 2008

ST. PETERSBURG -- A 20-year-old bicyclist died Wednesday night after he was struck on Gandy Boulevard, according to Florida Highway Patrol records.

Troopers said Michael Franklin Bentley of St. Petersburg was riding his bike east in the right-turn lane on Gandy Boulevard just west of Brighton Bay Boulevard around 9:40 p.m. Lily Elizabeth Lusty, 40, of South Pasadena was driving a 2004 Jeep Liberty in the same lane and didn't notice him, troopers said. Her jeep struck the bike from behind, throwing Bentley onto the hood and then onto the pavement.

Bentley was taken with critical injuries to Bayfront Medical Center, where he later died. Troopers said he was not wearing a helmet. No charges have been filed.

Kim Wilmath, Times staff writer

UPDATE: I just learned that "Frankie" was a friend of a friend and was riding with his roommate who witnessed the whole thing. He would have turned 21 on Nov. 17.

I'm getting really tired of hearing stories like this.

Sweeping the Gandy Bridge

Now, no one is going to argue that it's the safest or most sensible option, but it is possible to ride over the Gandy vehicle bridge. Since the Friendship Bridge closed last week, this has been the only option for cyclists.

The shoulder of the Gandy Bridge, however, is hardly cycling-friendly. It's usually covered in debris and glass.

The good news: Cheryl Stacks, the St. Petersburg Bike/Ped coordinator let me know that the Florida DOT has agreed to double the number of sweepings of the bridge from once a month to twice monthly until the future of the Friendship Bridge is resolved.

It's not a perfect solution, but it will help.

Can the Friendship Bridge be saved once more?

 "A lot of us use it," Sue Carlton writes of the Friendship Bridge in today's Times. "A lot of us like it. It has improved, with bathrooms, bike paths on the way in, and benches, both in place and scheduled to be coming soon. If you have been there, you know what a gem it is." Click here to read her column, "Can the old Gandy be saved once more?"

Bike polo in Sarasota

Some friends and I went down to Sarasota to play bike polo on Saturday night. If you've never seen it, polo is one of the most fun, and challenging things you can do on a bike.

Right now there is a pickup game happening in Tampa once or twice a week, but it is in need of a good location to play. If you know of any lit tennis courts or deck hockey rinks that don't mind bikes, let us know.

As for St. Pete... things are moving a bit more slowly. But once you see the pics you might want to set something up yourself. It's that much fun.

Ironman: some love it, some loathe it

Here are three letters published in the Times in response to the Half-Ironman World Championships held in Clearwater over the weekend.

Take your event and go elsewhere

As a citizen of Pinellas County, I want you people at the Ironman 70.3 World Championship to know that your event is not welcome here. Why? Simply because none of your athletes or sponsors seem to care about anything but their own agenda and have absolutely no regard for the major inconvenience that your event is causing the people of this county.

I assure you that, other than those who stand to make a quick buck from your event (and they account for a very small percentage of the overall population), the overwhelming majority of the people who live, vote and spend money in this county couldn't care less about your event. What does the average Pinellas County citizen stand to gain? Nothing. What price do we pay? Hours of countywide traffic and all of the associated inconvenience.

I would venture to say that the total disruption caused by this event ends up being responsible for quite a bit of lost revenue for many local businesses — businesses here to serve their customers year round.

Once again, I call upon the county commissioners to put the needs and wishes of the citizens and merchants of Pinellas County above those who merely wish to use us, at great inconvenience, for one day's pleasure/profit. Please see to it that 2008 is the last year that the Ironman event is allowed to happen in this county.

Toby Brandenburgh, Palm Harbor

Not everyone hates Ironman

The letter writer wishes the City of Clearwater to stop hosting the Ironman 70.3 World Championship race because "the overwhelming majority of the people who live, vote and spend money in this county couldn't care less about your event."

I don't remember that being on the ballot last Tuesday! I would like to know how he polled everyone in the county, since he feels he can speak for them.

I am not a fan of this race but admire the athletes for their training and endurance to compete. And I planned my day so I will not be inconvenienced by the traffic delays that we have been warned about for weeks.

I think many of these athletes will enjoy our hospitality so much that they will bring their families to the area on their next vacation, to enjoy the beach and all the area has to offer. These events stimulate the local economy, which is needed now more than ever.

Perhaps we should have asked the Rays to play all of the World Series games in Philadelphia so the letter writer would not be inconvenienced by the traffic. Should we give up this year's Super Bowl to Atlanta or New Orleans, so there will be no traffic tie-ups to deal with here?

Mark Hepburn, Clearwater

Don't complain; get involved

If the letter writer spent as much time planning ahead as he did writing his whining/complaining letter about the Ironman 70.3 World Championship, he would be well prepared to avoid any inconvenience that this event may cause.

This is a great event for Clearwater and Pinellas County to host and gets better every year. If it were as bad as he says, there wouldn't be nearly the hundreds of volunteers who sign up each year to help make this event the success that it is.

He should get involved. He might change his mind.

Don McCreery, Clearwater

Oh, and the race? It was won by some guy from from New Zealand.