out there monthly april 2011

News: spokaNe Valley Bike/ped plaN pG: 8 / HealtH: wHat’s iN aN eNerGy driNk? pG: 20 / eVeryday CyClist: How to do your

First CeNtury pG: 16 / sustaiNaBility: tHe CHiCkeNs Come Home to roost pG: 12 / aNNual CyCliNG eVeNt CaleNdar pG: 30

tHe iNlaNd NortHwest Gu ide to outdoor reCreatioN + www.outtHeremoNtHly.Com

MONTHLYVol.7 // No.7 // april 2011

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p.6 / From the editor Loaners

By Jon Snyder

p.8 / out there News

Mt. Spokane, Valley Bike/Ped Plan,

Dishman Hills Service Project

p.12 / sustaiNable liviNg

Chickens Come Home To Roost

By Taylor Weech

p.14 / roadtrip

Wallace ID: Roadtrip Back In Time

By Erika Prins

p.15 / what’s Your gear?

Noah Sutherland: Cycling

By Amy Silbernagel McCaffree

p.16 / traiNiNg tips

Run Faster

By Ben Greenfield

p.17 / everYdaY cYclist

Bike Your First Century

By John Speare

p.18 / book reviews

Spring Classics & Bonner County

Atlas

By Stan Miller & Tod Marshall

p.19 / music report

Hedwig And A Swimming Pool

By Ashley Graham & Luke Bakken

p.20 / health & FitNess

What’s In An Energy Drink?

By Dr. Bob Lutz

p.22 / april iNlaNd Nw outdoor caleNdar &

6 moNth traiNiNg caleNdar

p.24 / choose Your owN epic ride Eight Bike Treks to Conquer

By Erika Prins

p.30 / last page

Our Annual Cycling Event Calendar

By Bradley Bleck

In�This�Is�s�ue

On the cOver: John Speare (foreground) and friends on an epic bike trip in the North Idaho panhandle. Photo by Andre Ball.

www.OuttheremOnthly.cOm

Out there mOnthly / APrIl 2011

PublIsher And edItOr-In-chIefJon Snyder

[email protected]

Art dIrectOrKaitlin Snyder

mAnAgIng edItOrAmy Silbernagel McCaffree

heAlth & fItness edItOrDr. Bob Lutz

senIOr wrItersJon Jonckers, Derrick Knowles

cOntrIbutIng wrIters: Luke Bakken, Bradley Bleck, Ashley Graham, Tod

Marshall, Stan Miller, Erika Prins, John Speare, Taylor Weech

dIstrIbutIOn cOOrdInAtOrBarbara Snyder

To request issues please call 509 / 534 / 3347

Ad sAlesBill Bloom: 509 / 999 / 8214

Out there mOnthlyMailing Address: PO Box 559

Spokane, WA 99210www.outtheremonthly.com, 509 / 534 / 3347

Out There Monthly is published once a month by Snyderco DBA/Out There Monthly. No part of this publication may be reproduced without

written consent of the publisher.

©Copyright 2011 Snyderco DBA/Out There Monthly. The views expressed in this magazine reflect

those of the writers and advertisers and not neces-sarily Snyderco DBA/Out There Monthly.

Disclaimer: many of the activities depicted in this magazine carry a significant risk of

personal injury or death. Rock climbing, river rafting, snow sports, kayaking, cycling, canoeing

and backcountry activities are inherently dangerous. The owners and contributors to

Out There Monthly do not recommend that anyone participate in these activities unless they

are experts or seek qualified professional instruction and/or guidance, and are knowledgeable

about the risks, and are personally willing to assume all responsibility associated with

those risks.

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From�theEditor: LOANERSWe’re standing on a bluff at the northern edge of the Dishman Hills Natural Area. It’s brisk March Sunday morning and the clouds have risen high enough to reveal a panoramic view above the pine trees. The vista stretches from Moran Prairie to downtown Spokane and wraps around Spokane Valley. This kind of view built the Conservation Futures program, and raised millions in property taxes to make Spokane County a frontcountry paradise, where great outdoor recreation is only minutes away.

Right next to us is an even more spectacular property, that may—or may not—also get in to the Conservation Futures program. “If this prop-

erty goes the way of urban development it’s double whammy for the City of Spokane. Not only do we lose some beautiful outdoor recreation and con-servation land—which is one of the main reasons folks want to live here—but we are also forced to eventually annex and stretch our city services far-ther and farther out at a higher and higher cost.”

I’m addressing Congressman Jay Inslee. The Congressman is in town on other business but has assembled a group of local environmental folks to go on a hike and hear a bit about the environ-mental challenges of our area. It’s no surprise that sprawl becomes a topic of conversation. You can certainly see a lot of it from up here.

I learn Congressman Inslee is big into the out-doors (backcountry skiing) and is thoughtful with his questions. His easy sense of humor masks a head for detailed policy. It’s a poorly kept secret that he may run for governor someday. He soaks in our commentary and prods us for solutions for environmental challenges we present.

I can’t help but think that a big part of the solu-tion is to just get the next generation up to see these views more often. If our kids develop a better relationship to the outdoors we’re more likely to preserve it. Easier said than done.

On our way back down the trail the Congressman picks up a pinecone and asks if he can bring it

back to his office. He wants to remind himself of this hike, which he says is one of the best politi-cal events he’s ever done. Our hike leader agrees it would be alright seeing as it came from part of our route on private land. “Consider this pinecone on loan to the U.S. Congress,” says Inslee with a smile. Just as all this land is really just on loan to all of us. //

--------------------------------------------------------Jon snYder, [email protected]

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SPOkANE VALLEy gEtS A BIkE/PEd PLANthere’s Still time to get Involved

OutThereNews�

WHen tHe CitY oF Spokane Valley sought to update its transportation plan in 2004, the City Planning Department asked community mem-bers how to make getting around town easier. Now the City is developing its first Bike and Pedestrian Master Program to guide develop-ment of non-motorized transportation options.

The City won a $138,500 grant from the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG)—part of the 2009 Federal Recovery Act—to help fund improvements.

Through eight community workshops and one community survey, the City learned that citizens want a wider variety of transportation choices to reduce dependency on driving. “In this respect,” says Senior Planner Mike Basinger, “the City rec-ognizes that an increasing number of people may not physically or financially be able to drive.”

Spokane Valley’s main roads were built accord-ing to Spokane County standards before the city incorporated, said Basinger in an interview with Comcast Newsmakers, which has been shown regularly on CNN Headline News (and can be found at spokanevalley.org). County standards do not require sidewalks and, as a result, the city was developed with large gaps in the sidewalks.

The City then held a workshop for the Bike and Pedestrian Master Program in September 2010. Attendees identified desired destinations, existing obstacles, and the routes they would like to see added in the city.

“Many people expressed concerns with their children not being able to walk to school safely,” says Basinger. “Many mentioned the need for more north-south connections to the Centennial trail and [improvements] on Sprague Avenue to allow better access to the commercial corridor.”

At a second workshop, the City presented its first draft of the Master Plan layout, which will be finalized by summer.

“A broad spectrum of the community attended the City’s meetings,” says Basinger, “including avid cyclists, parents concerned about the lack of sidewalks, neighborhood groups, local planners and engineers, and regional agencies such as the Spokane Regional Health District and City Council members, to mention a few.” //

for information on the spokane valley bike and

Pedestrian master Program, or to sign-up for

updates, visit spokanevalley.org.

on april 9, 2011, REI and a number of local businesses and conservation groups will hold a workday at the Dishman Hills Natural Area. REI Outreach Specialist Carol Christensen says, “This will be the second year that the Spokane REI store has chosen the Dishman Hills to be the focus of our annual project to improve access to outdoor recreation in the Spokane area.”

Event partners for the project include the Dishman Hills Natural Area Association, Glenrose Community Association, Spokane Mountaineers, Inland Empire Geocachers, Sunflower Society, Inland Northwest Trails Coalition, Native Plant Society, Dishman Dodge – Chrysler, Embroidered Sportsware, Inc., Spokane County Parks, the Lands Council, Inland Northwest Land Trust, Gonzaga University, Washington Department of Natural Resources, WSU Cooperative Extension, the Inland Northwest Backcountry Horsemen, Sierra Club Inner City Outings, and Zip2Water. Live music will be provided by local bluegrass band Wild Bill and the Free Range Chickens.

The event begins with volunteer check-in at Camp Caro at 9:30 am. Coffee will be available at

check-in, and water and snacks will be available throughout the day. Work on the various proj-ects will start at 10:00 am and end mid-afternoon. Among the many activities planned are pulling weeds, planting trees & shrubs, building trails, removing trash, and building fences. Most work will take place in the open area between Camp Caro and Appleway. Volunteers should bring work gloves and water bottles and wear appro-priate shoes. Rakes, shovels, a variety of pruning tools (non-powered), and wagons/wheelbarrows are also helpful but not required. Volunteers are reminded to come prepared for dirty work and the weather!

Pre-registration is recommended, but everyone is welcome on the day of the event. As an incen-tive to sign up early, the first 100 volunteers to register online, www. rei.com/event/19036/ses-sion/23488, and show up on April 9, will receive a special commemorative Dishman Hills project T-shirt. All volunteers must read and sign a liabil-ity release before participating. Print out and sign the form on the website and bring it with you to the event or sign one on site. //

COmE hELP At thE dIShmAN hILLS 4/9

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a proposal to expand alpine skiing on the northwest slopes of Mount Spokane that could include a new lift and ski runs that would be cut into what opponents argue is a rare slice of sub-alpine wilderness within site of downtown Spokane has many regional conservation and recreation interests weighing in. While a deci-sion on whether to expand the ski area isn’t on the table at the moment, the classification of the largely undeveloped backside of the mountain that will determine its future is. Public comments on the land classification issue will be accepted until May 17. A decision is expected to be made at a May 19 Parks and Recreation Commission meeting in Spokane. The Commission’s deci-sion will determine whether the backside will be managed as either a natural forest area that would be maintained for its wild land and primi-tive recreation values or as recreation land that could allow more intensive recreational develop-ment associated with ski area expansion.

The Save Mt Spokane Coalition, a coalition of outdoor and conservation groups working to pro-tect the area, continues to encourage public com-ments on the classification issue and the ski area proposal and has information on their web site: www.savemtspokane.org. The Coalition makes the case that the north and west slopes of Mount Spokane are already prized year-round by outdoor enthusiasts and that the largely intact natural for-est is a unique slice of high country native plant

and wildlife habitat that should be managed by the State Park as a natural area.

The group argues that by clearcutting part of the forest for ski runs and lifts and other devel-opment, this largely natural area would lose the pristine appeal that currently draws many people to enjoy the area. They also point to the environ-mental impacts to wildlife, fragile native plant communities, and water quality that are caused by such developments.

“The west side of the mountain is very impor-tant for year-round backcountry recreation including hiking and skiing. Ski run clear-cuts will destroy the wildlife habitat, native plants and primitive outdoor experiences back there” said Jeff Lambert, a Coalition member with the Spokane Mountaineers.

For Brad McQuarrie, the general manager of the Mt. Spokane Ski and Snowboard Park, the decision is critical to the future of the ski area. “We want that area classified as recreation to allow us to manage it and make improvements that will get more people back there safely using it. We need that north facing ski terrain opened up if we’re going to compete with other area ski resorts,” he said. Visit http://www.parks.wa.gov/ to submit your comments by May 17.

visit http://www.parks.wa.gov/ for information

or to submit your comments before the may 19

Parks and recreation commission meeting.

april 12, at 2:00 pm, is the application dead-line for the Responsive Grant Program offered by Empire Health Foundation (EHF). Local 501(c)(3) organizations or other qualifying pub-lic entities that serve one or more of the seven counties in Eastern Washington are eligible to apply. The goal of this grant program is to serve the immediate needs of a very broad and diverse set of organizations working on health-related issues throughout the seven counties that EHF serves: Spokane, Whitman, Lincoln, Adams, Ferry, Stevens and Pend Oreille. The Foundation encourages nonprofits that reach out to under-

served populations to apply for grants, and to state that in their application.

Successful applications will support the Foundation’s vision of investing in ideas and orga-nizations improving access, education, wellness, research and public policy to result in a measur-ably healthier region. Phone calls and appoint-ments for feedback and application questions may be made with Program Coordinator Jennifer Ramb at 509-315-1323, ext. 502 or by email at [email protected]. //

more information: http://empirehealthfounda-

tion.org/apply-grants. //

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SIERRA CLUB INNER CITY OUTINGS LEADER CHRIS BACHMAN WITH PARTICIPANTS FROM THE WEST CENTRAL NEIGHBORHOOD ON MT SPOKANE. PHOTO COURTESY OF CHRIS BACHMAN.

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an entirely different challenge. Craig Goodwin says, “From what I’ve heard anecdotally, there are hundreds of non-compliant chicken coops in the county.” His local blog, “Year of Plenty,” has been headquarters for the chicken curious and people working towards regulating domestication in the county. A Facebook page titled “Spokane Area Chicken Ordinances” also has nearly 200 fans and serves as a depository of information on the topic. Many comments on the blog and Facebook share stories of reluctance from the County Commissioners, mostly stemming from concerns about noise and odor. Goodwin says he’s also heard these concerns from some neighbors who are unfamiliar with urban chickens. “People think an industrial chicken farm will move in next door, but when you only have three or four chick-ens, you don’t even notice [the noise or odor],” he says. “There are already ordinances around smells, and chickens can be covered by that.”

As more Spokane area residents discover the benefits of raising chickens in or outside of the county, the momentum builds for allowing them. Goodwin suggests that county residents interested in this issue write to their County Commissioners and encourage them to address it. “Year of Plenty” will continue to cover the progress on local chick-en-related ordinances, and information is available on the Facebook page. //

Spokane Valley’s Planning Commission held an issue study session on January 27, 2011, and then a public hearing shortly thereafter, on February 10. On March 22 the Spokane Valley City Council voted unanimously to approve new regulation making it easier to have chickens in residential areas.

The old city ordinance allowed for one animal, including chickens, to be kept per 3,000 square feet of gross property. The changes to the ordi-nance classify chickens in an entirely separate category and regulate their domestication as fol-lows: “one chicken may be raised or kept per 2,000 gross square feet of lot area, with a maximum of 25 birds allowed. The keeping of roosters is pro-hibited. Coops, hutches or similar containment structures must be kept a minimum of 20 feet from the front property line, 5 feet from side and rear property lines, and 15 feet from flanking streets. Coops, hutches or similar containment structures must be kept a minimum of 25 feet from occupied structures on neighboring properties. All chickens must be rendered incapable of flight.”

Now that the Spokane Valley City Council has approved these changes, it will make the domesti-cation of chickens more feasible for residents with smaller lots.

While chicken activists have worked for progress in Spokane Valley, Spokane County residents have

GoGreen�: Sus�tain�ableLivin�g

ChICkENS COmE hOmE tO ROOStBackyard Urban Fowl Catching On / By Taylor Weech

A BUNCH OF URBAN CHICKENS. // PHOTO BEA LACKAFF.

pets are expensive. They require feed-ing, medical care, waste disposal, special travel arrangements, and other unexpected consider-ations that humans make time and money for in exchange for simple companionship. One kind of pet gives back more than that; they feed you breakfast, fertilize your garden, eat invasive insects, and act cute—all at the same time.

More Spokane County residents are explor-ing the idea of domestic chickens both as pets and local food producers and some have come up against challenges with vague or non-existent regulations around raising these animals. On March 22 the Spokane Valley City Council voted unanimously to approve new regulation allowing chickens in residential areas.

Bea Lackaff has been raising urban chickens for over 25 years and says, “I love them, they are very dear. They keep me grounded and centered...you experience daily sweetness and occasional anxi-ety...mostly, chickens are good people!” She says that the eggs aren’t an important part of the expe-rience for her, but that they are “divine.”

Craig Goodwin and his family also have domes-tic chickens. He says, “At first it seemed like the most outlandish idea for my family to raise them, we didn’t know anything about them. When we brought them into our yard and household, we discovered how fun they are—they have person-alities.”

Goodwin also cites the environmental benefits of chickens. “They are taking the bad stuff (insect predators and weed seeds) out of the garden and putting those nutrients into the eggs, which we’ll then eat. It’s a really beautiful whole system,” he says. Both Lackaff and Goodwin also describe the difference in the eggs—an immediately recogniz-able improvement in consistency and color, with richer, darker yolks. The eggs are also as fresh as possible. No waiting in refrigerated trucks and grocery stores for untold amounts of time.

There are abundant advantages to raising your own chickens, but is it really possible to care for these animals in an urban environment? Both Lackaff and Goodwin think it is, with the proper

knowledge and equipment. Lackaff describes her experience as “learning

the hard way to use adequate fencing—fence for the worst case scenario—from sparrows eating you out of house and home, to big killer dogs slaugh-

tering for fun.” She recommends a fine chicken wire for the former and sturdy bracing, hog wire, and a closed-top coop for the latter.

According to Goodwin, “The key is a good coop with a covered run so it stays dry. One of the chal-lenges here is the cold. It comes down to having a good coop with four square feet per bird, an out-door run that’s caged with about ten square feet per bird, and a space [for the chickens] to roam around and free range.”

Both say their chickens have been low mainte-nance, despite the learning curve associated with raising them. Chickens come with the challenges and considerations of any pet: keeping them safe, fed, contained, and happy.

The major challenge for people interested in urban chicken husbandry is navigating the city or county ordinances. In the City of Spokane, the rules are straightforward: you can keep up to four animals on your property, including chickens.

The City of Spokane Valley also has an ordi-nance regulating domesticated animals on private property, which has recently been contested by residents who have found it prohibitive for most of their lots. After considerable citizen input,

On march 22 the Spokane Valley City Council voted

unanimously to approve new regulation making it easier to have chickens in residential

areas.

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(Ongoing thursdays) Community Building Farmers market. When: 11 AM – 5 PM. Where: Community Building Lobby, 35 W. Main. Sample the best from Spokane’s local food producers and crafts people.

(April 9) Family morning on the Farm. When: 9-10:30 AM. Where: P.e.a.c.h. Community Farm Cheney, WA. Come learn how to milk the goats and feed the chickens with your family. Info: 509-216-9273, peachlocal.com.

(April 13) the Battle for Blue gold with maude Barlow. When: 7 PM. Where: Lair Auditorium at SCC. Water-rights activist Maude Barlow will discuss her book, Blue Covenant: The Global Water Crisis and the Coming Battle for the Right to Water. Info: 509-359-6977, www.ewu.edu/getlit.

(April 16) April Showers, the Lands Council’s 16th Annual dinner & Auction. When: 4:30-10:30 PM. Where: The DoubleTree Hotel- Downtown. Please join us for an exciting evening of good friends, a delicious dinner, and numerous auction items - all to benefit The Lands Council. Info: 509-

209-2851, landscouncil.org

(April 16) Organic gardening 101. When: 10-11:30 AM. Where: P.e.a.c.h. Community Farm, Cheney, WA. Learn from the pros. Info: 509-216-9273, peachlocal.com.

(April 23) Celebrate Earth day Spokane, 11 Am – midnight. W. Main Ave (between Browne and Division). Earth Day Spokane will feature earth-friendly community booths, “green” activi-ties for children of all ages, local food vendors, live music, art, films, and more! Info: 509-847-9503, earthdayspokane.org

(April 30) Country Fair. When: 11AM – 5 PM. Where: P.e.a.c.h. Community Farm. Info: peachlo-cal.com.

(may 21-22) Leave No trace trainer. When: Over Night 9 AM Sat - 4 PM Sunday. Where: Riverside State Park. Spokane Parks and Recreation along with FLOW Adventures is offering a Leave No Trace Trainer Course. Info: 509-625-6200, spokaneparks.org. //

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The only painter in Spokane who has completed an Ironman. Now that’s dedication!

BACKDOOR CHICKENS. // PHOTOBEA LACKAFF. .


outdoor reCreationStop by the Wallace District Mining Museum

and Visitor Center first thing when you get to town. They’re open seven days a week, year-round, and the employees geek out hardcore on all things Wallace.

When asked to name the best spots to explore, there is a wide-eyed pause, then a flurry of maps and information all at once. Executive Director Jim McReynolds is an avid cyclist and Troy Lambert can tell you all the best places to fly-fish. Oh, and they’re both skiers, too.

Lambert recommends St. Joe, Loop Creek and the north fork of the Coeur d’Alene River for fishing—or strap a pole to the back of your bike and ride east, stopping to fish at one of the nine small “chain” lakes along the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes.

RoadTrips�

wALLACE, Id: A ROAdtRIP BACk IN tImE Have Fun Outdoors Or Downtown / By Erika Prins

“All of this is cyclable,” says Lambert, sweeping his hand over the panhandle trail map. Mountain bikers can get from Mullan, Idaho, to Lookout Pass in Montana on the Northern Pacific trail. Besides 72 miles of smooth riding on the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes, road bikers have wide shoulders on paved National Forest roads either heading north into the Bitteroot Mountains or south into the St. Joe Mountains.

Hikers, says Lambert, should head straight to Shoshone Park for a serious climb.

WallaCe vintage arCade gamesNot much in Wallace is new—the town is filled

with antique stores, museums and throwback din-ers. But Wallace Vintage Games recently revamped its operations, converting to a co-op March 1st of this year. A group of vendors now shares the space in order to keep the shop’s doors open.

A lit up row of vintage arcade games sets Wallace Vintage Games apart from other antiques dealers in town, as does its bizarre history. (You can also find some great vintage arcade games at the Pizza Factory.)

Co-op member Angie Baker rents The Hub soda fountain at the front of the shop. Looking at a photo of the building as an Eagles club in the mid 1900s, she says that Wallace’s club is the only Eagles charter ever to be revoked—“There were too many rowdy people. They were an embarrass-ment to the Eagles organization.”

At first glance, it’s hard to tell what is wrong with the next grainy old photo—until you notice the bullet holes littering the building’s façade. As the story goes, a local couple was involved in a domestic dispute. The man broke in to the shop to steal a rifle and ammunition, in order to end the fight once and for all. After firing at the shop windows, police entered to find the man hiding in the basement, clutching the rifle. That is where he died and Baker insists he is still lurking down there. She says, “When I go downstairs…you know how you get that feeling that you’re not alone?” However, she assures that the murderous ghost has not harmed any tourists—yet.

not a gHost toWn“For Sale” signs hang on every street. An official

sign reads “Population: 960,” but the 2010 census only counted 784 residents. Nonetheless, locals insist that Wallace is not a ghost town.

Over 25 percent of the world’s silver hails from the Silver Valley region, a 20-by-20-mile stretch of real estate in the Idaho Panhandle. When met-als prices plummeted in the early 1980s, so did Wallace’s livelihood.

“We lost a whole generation of miners,” says McReynolds. In recent years, though, silver prices have rebounded and restored promise for Wallace and its neighboring towns.

New technology and scaled-down production means fewer mining jobs, but McReynolds esti-mates the industry still provides 700-800 jobs in the area.

“I always say, ‘When the mines are doing good, the money trickles down to Wallace,” says Baker. “We hope to be here forever. Somebody is going to have to use some heavy machinery to get us out of here, because we want to stay.” //

Strap a pole to the back of your bike and ride east to fish one of the chain lakes.

DOWNTOWN WALLACE. //PHOTO ERIKA PRINS.

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You Can sleep in on Saturday and still man-age a day trip to Wallace, Idaho. Eighty miles east of Spokane, this old mining town spread its roots to Eastern Washington by way of retiring silver miners who built some of Spokane’s beautiful old mansions.

When you get there, grab coffee at the Red Light Garage (5th and Pine St.) and uncover Wallace his-tory before lunch. Then hit the trails either on foot or on wheels.

tHe undergroundWallace’s most popular attractions haven’t

changed much since it was a boomtown—mining and, er, hotels of a certain kind.

The Oasis Bordello museum, which opened in 1895 and survived the great fire of 1910, was one of five brothels on Wallace’s main street that oper-ated without hindrance until 1973. Oasis Bordello’s last ladies hastily fled in anticipation of a raid in 1988.

To learn more about the town’s other under-ground history, put on a hard hat, climb onto a trolley and go underground with the Sierra Silver Mine Tour. The tour, which lasts a little over an hour, goes just out of town to the old Sierra Silver mine.

Both the mine tour and the Oasis Bordello Museum operate from May to September.

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lock. Someday Noah would like to provide paid internships and job training. “It’s been a really unique environment where I get to share something I’ve been interested in for years with kids who haven’t had the opportunity to either do a lot of riding or mechanic work,” he says. “But I also get to have one-on-one time with them to talk about life [and] faith.” Cool Water Bikes is also open to the public to purchase used bikes, new and used bike parts, and to have bikes serviced. Money earned helps fund other programs for the youth center. Currently, Noah is in the process of planning the shop’s move to a bigger leased space. This will allow them to accept more bike donations, which must be in “repairable shape” before they can be accepted. For the fourth year now, Noah and his Cool Water Bikes team will participate in the “Round the Clock” 24-hour mountain bike relay race sponsored by Round and Round, which takes place at Riverside State Park on May 28-29. “It’s really a big party,” he says. “There are hundreds of people out there doing it, and it’s fun to be there and accomplish something as a team and push ourselves.” Noah owns three bikes—road, mountain and commuter—and enjoys the simple pleasures of the sport, he says, like “the sensation of wind in your hair and being able to push your body to accomplish a goal, whether it’s getting to work or just exercising.” Here is what you will see Noah riding.-------------------------------------------------------road BiKe: Eddy Merckx. “I bought it used a

little over ten years ago,” says Noah. “It’s probably a 30-year-old bike.” It’s lightweight and fun, but what he likes best is its name. “[Merckx] was a famous racer back in the 70s and then started his own bike company,” he says. Shimano PD-M505

pedals allow Noah to wear the same shoes as he does for mountain biking.-------------------------------------------------------mountain BiKe: Surly Karate Monkey. “It was a birthday present from my wife three years ago, as an upgrade to the mountain bike I had been riding for almost 20 years,” Noah says. It has Shimano PD-M424 pedals, and he custom-made his own 29” wheels, which includes Shimano hubs, Mavic rims, and Avid disc brakes. And he’s considering adding a front suspension fork. -------------------------------------------------------BiKe sHoes: Specialized Comp MTB shoes.-------------------------------------------------------Commuter BiKe: His old mountain bike, a Specialized Rockhopper, which he’s still in the process of modifying. “I changed the handlebars to be almost like a cruiser bar so I sit upright a lit-tle more,” says Noah. He added front fenders and wants to get new wheels and an internally-geared

What’s�YourGear: Noah Sutherlan�d (cyclin�g) By Am�y Silbern�agel McCaffree

His dad got Him interested in road biking as a kid, thanks to rides in the countryside around Nampa, Idaho, where he grew up. Today, Noah Sutherland shares his love of bikes with street youth in Spokane as the manager of Cool Water Bikes, a full-service non-profit bicycle shop in downtown Spokane that opened three years ago. As part of the Christian ministry known as Cup of Cool Water, the shop provides a place for youth to learn about bike maintenance and earn their own bike. Those who spend at least ten hours helping in the shop, plus fulfill some other obligations, get a used bike, helmet and

SUTHERLAND IN HIS RACING GEAR.

“I have a really large head so finding the right helmet

is hard.”

rear hub. Large platform pedals allow him to wear whatever shoes he wants and still have good sta-bility. “[Bike commuting is] an important thing for me, but I’m kind of a fickle commuter—some days I feel like it and some days I don’t,” he says. “I cover this bike in stickers to make it ugly and, hopefully, less desirable for theft.” -------------------------------------------------------pannier Bag: Carradice Shopper. “It is designed to perfectly hold a grocery bag and it has cool wooden handles for carrying off the bike,” says Noah. -------------------------------------------------------Helmet: Giro, but he’s looking for a new helmet because his current one is falling apart. He says. “I have a really large head so finding the right one is hard.”-------------------------------------------------------BiKe Computer: Sigma Sport BC1200 com-puter with separate mounts on his road and mountain bikes. It keeps separate track of mileage for both.-------------------------------------------------------ligHt: NiteRider MiNewt X2 that he got spe-cifically for the mountain bike race, and a Sunlite “cheap little flasher,” he says, for his commuter bike. -------------------------------------------------------ClotHing: “When I’m commuting, it’s just what-ever,” says Noah. For riding his road or mountain bike, he wears spandex bike shorts and a cycling jersey. “[Cool Water Bikes has] some shorts and jerseys custom-made by Mt Borah,” he says, and he has some REI Novara shorts as a back-up. //

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Train�in�gTips�

tHe Hard FaCt about running is that plodding along at a medium intensity pace before break-fast or during your lunch hour is going to burn calories, but not truly make you a better runner. Instead, do each of these workouts once per week to get faster for the 5K up to the marathon:

tempo intervals. Perform 3-5 five- to eight-minute efforts at an intensity in which your legs are burning and you’re breathing hard, yet you’re not slowing down, your legs aren’t “rubbery,” and you’re not sucking air. Recover with a 1:1 or 2:1 work:rest ratio (if you run for eight minutes, then easy jog or walk for 4-8 minutes).

vo2 max eFForts. Perform 5-10 two to four minute efforts at the hardest possible pace you can

sustain. Recover at a 1:3 or 1:4 work:rest ratio.

overspeed and strengtH. On a gradual hill or set of stairs, run uphill for 60-90 seconds, focusing on force application, relaxed upper body, arm swing, and forward lean. At the top, recover for 30-60 seconds with an easy jog or walk; then turn around and run down, focusing on rapid leg turnover. Recover again at the bottom, and repeat for 6-10 rounds.

Be sure to warm-up and cool-down well after each session! //

ben greenfield performs customized run coach-

ing and endurance training plans at www.paci-

ficfit.net.

BECOmE A FAStER RuNNERtry these workouts / By Ben greenfield

i Have a not-so-seCret love affair with 25 pounds of powder-coated steel. This incredible device has the ability to transport me to places I cannot reach by car, faster than I can arrive by foot. The power of my own legs can take me where I want, whenever I want, and I can even do my own repairs along the way. Parking is always

free, gas an absent thought, and adventure a given. I can feel the wind on my face as I blaze down a hill, see the panorama of a sunset, hear the roar of the Spokane River as I cross it, and smell the sweet scent of fresh baked goodies in the air. My bicycle transforms the world around me. After all, where else is 20 miles per hour light speed? //

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aFter most CYClists get comfortable rid-ing more than 20 miles or so, there’s something alluring about the idea of riding a century ride. A century ride is typically 100 miles. If you can ride a century and feel mostly normal the next day, then you’ve achieved the goal. If riding your first century is a goal this year, then here are three steps to achieving this.

step 1: deFine suCCess. Given enough time, most cyclists could fin-

ish a century with very little preparation. In fact, for some people, just riding 100 miles, regardless of how long it takes, will satisfy this goal. But if you are a first-timer riding an organized century, then there will likely be a time limit on the course.

An “organized” century means that there is sup-port for the participants: water stops, restroom facilities, maybe food, and even mechanical sup-port. So figure out how long you want a century to take you. There are a lot of factors involved, but at the low-end, assume 12 mph average, with stops included. That gives you about eight hours for 100 miles.

step 2: get Your BiKe dialed in. If you are spending eight hours on your bike, it

must be comfortable. Assuming you have slowly built up your time on the bike, after riding eight hours, you should expect to feel tired and maybe a little muscle-fatigue soreness. But you shouldn’t feel stiff or sharp aching muscle soreness. If your neck, back, shoulders, knees or butt hurt pain-fully, then you’ve not dialed in your bike.

The most common fit issues that will make 100 miles miserable are around saddle height and reach. If your saddle is too low, your knees will ache; if it’s too high, your Achilles tendons may hurt. Reach refers to how you are extended over your bike and is dictated by the type of handle bars you have and where they are located. Getting just the right bars at just the right placement is critical to comfort.

Bar placement also affects how you sit on your saddle, which also must put your knees, back and butt in a comfortable position relative to your pedal stroke. While comfort is super important, you need to make sure you don’t overdo it. Riding a century in under eight hours also requires that you take performance into the bike-fit equation. There are many ways to figure out bike fit. One

way is to go to a bike shop and pay for a fitting. Be sure they understand your goals.

Another option is to find cyclists that ride big-mile days and ask them about how they evolved into the bike fit that they prefer. Have them watch you ride your bike and listen to their advice.

Carry basic tools with you so you can make minor tweaks as you feel discomfort. Once you get close to dialed in, you’ll be amazed at how seemingly insignificant adjustments—such as the seat fore or aft a couple millimeters, or the bars rotated a degree up-ward—make a huge differ-ence.

There is also good advice online. In any case, as with all bike-related opinion, be aware that any

given fit system, whether it’s online, in a book, or at a bike shop, is “the best one.” Ultimately, you decide which one works for you by riding. A lot.

step 3: ride a lot, and paY attention. At first, you’re looking for time in the saddle.

Don’t focus on fast or hard or hills, just get used to doing multiple hours on your bike. Start with an hour and work your way up.

This portion of your training is about finishing your bike fit while getting used to many hours in the saddle.

And speaking of saddles, it’s normal to feel a bit of butt soreness as you increase your time on a saddle. But again, sharp muscle pain or sores are not normal. Be prepared to try out different saddles to find your perfect match.

Keep increasing your time on the bike while paying very close attention to how you feel before, during and after your ride. As you ride longer distances, you’ll get a feel for the kinds of food you prefer and how important staying hydrated is. The importance of keeping properly hydrated cannot be overstated. Pay heed.

Some good advice around food and hydration is to consume a little bit at a time, but consume often. Don’t wait until you feel hungry or thirsty. Experiment with different foods and hydration solutions. You can find all sorts of expensive pre-packaged “performance” foods, which generally provide the energy and electrolytes your body needs in a convenient little package. But remem-ber that “normal” food also works and generally tastes better.

If you pay close attention to how you feel and make small changes to your bike, your routine, and your food/water intake, your mileage and speed will slowly increase over time. You’ll also probably pay more attention to your diet and rest patterns when you’re not riding.

Before you know it, you’ll be able to ride 100 miles with relative ease and you just might begin to seek out other long-haul bike adventures. //

EverydayCyclis�t

yOu CAN RIdE A CENtuRyAdvice For Prepping For that First 100-mile Ride / By John Speare

http://cyclin�gs�pokan�e.blogs�pot.com�

Riding a century in under eight hours also requires

that you take performance into the bike-fit equation.

AN OFFROAD CENTURY. // PHOTO JOHN SPEARE.


BookReviews�

Bonner and BoundarY CountY atlasNorthwest Map Service, 2010 edition, 152 pages. $24.95.

A map person: I buy maps to plan and speculate, muse and daydream. You know what I’m talking about—that obsessive wonder that comes when you look at those squiggly lines and imagine slopes and steepness, the dense underbrush of a gulley, the sweet vista from a mountain ridge. Although the Bonner and Boundary Country Atlas does not inspire that sort of musing, it’s a relatively inexpensive and reasonably thorough guide to the roads and trails of the uppermost reaches of the Idaho chimney. The book, printed on heavy stock paper and bound with a plastic spiral, offers good infor-mational lists: of town locations, road locations, trail locations, and the location of various fea-tures (including lookout/cabin rentals, hospitals, campgrounds, boat launches and waterfalls). The road index, as well as the GPS grid, seem especially useful for their intended purposes, which leads to the most important question for this book: what reason would compel someone to buy this rather than the Idaho Gazeteer, a similar product that does a great job of blending features from detailed topographical maps with the standard expectations of an atlas (and much more—fishing information, special geological features, trail information)? It’s all a matter of purpose. This book doesn’t claim the hybrid status of the Gazeteer; it is an atlas aimed at providing detailed road informa-tion for urban and rural outings. If one should want to venture into the backcountry, paired with the topographical maps of an area, the B&BCA is a good tool. That verb is paramount and perhaps points to one of the temptations of the Gazeteer; it’s just detailed enough that some might use it to get to the trailhead, glance at the topo features of a hike, and sally forth without a more detailed map—an unwise decision. This book from Northwest Map Service doesn’t offer that illusion and sticks to its single purpose. // Tod Marshall

tHe spring ClassiCs: CYCling’s greatest one-daY raCesPhilippe Bouvet, Philippe Brunel, Pierre Callewaert, Jean-Luc Gatellier, and Serge Legat, Velo Press, 2010, 223 pages

tHe spring ClassiCs are a dozen or so European cycling events, many of which date back more than a century. These one-day events, overlooked in the U.S. by all but the most avid followers of cycling, set the stage for the more well known multi-day stage races like the Tour d’France. Usually a couple hundred kilometers long and over terrain unique to each race, the rac-ers are often challenged as much by fickle spring weather as the course itself. The book’s authors are all veteran cyclists and among the best writers for L’Equipe, Europe’s pre-

mier cycling journal. As individuals who have participated in and written about these races over a period of several decades, the authors provide a clear vision of the history surrounding these events. You leave with an understanding of how each race has changed over the decades to accom-modate advances in equipment and demands of spectators. This English edition of the 2007 French pub-lication updates the text to include the three sea-sons between the French and English printing. The “encyclopedia” of the top finishers in 17 races is updated to include races held after the French issue. Unlike most large format books, which tend to be photo essays, The Spring Classics is strong on text with a comprehensive essay on each race. Through the hundreds of classic black and white images from the early days of racing mixed with color images from recent decades, the reader sees a comprehensive picture of the changes in rac-ing equipment and conditions; today’s racers will groan just looking at the equipment from even a few decades ago. The Spring Classics is an easy book to read. With an essay dedicated to each race, one can cover the book at a leisurely pace; a half hour will afford enough time to read an essay and peruse the images associated with it. If you are not already a fan of competitive cycling, The Spring Classics will likely make you one. // Stan Miller

the book’s authors are all veteran cyclists and among

the best writers for L’Equipe, Europe’s premier cycling

journal.

GET LIT!FESTIVAL

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FEATURING ENVIRONMENTAL EVENTS:

Water-rights advocate Maude Barlow

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Guides to Our Region’s Unique Natural HistoryPhotographic History of the Northwest

READINGS, INTERVIEWS,POETRY SLAMS,

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RoadtripDJ: March

hEdwIg ANd SwImmINg POOL / By Ashley Graham

Crus�hin�g Rocks�: The Mus�ic Report

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a proJeCt near and dear to my heart has been resurrected! The production of HedWig and tHe angrY inCH that thrilled audi-ences four years ago is coming baaaaack, heading (“heding,” if you will) to A Club, April 1st and 2nd, with the possibility of more performances to come.

Hedwig has been a part of my life since I emerged from Seattle’s Egyptian Theatre in the summer of 2001 having seen its film adaptation for the first time (with mom, sister and conserva-tive aunt in tow, whose comment, “That guy who played Yitzhak was sure handsome!” is of particu-lar note to those already in the know…). Since then, I’ve named a music website (now-defunct The Wig Fits All Heads) and a PR firm (WigPR) in her honor, and I made my arts review debut on the pages of the Inlander’s “Reader Review” (remember those??) section proclaiming all her glory upon arrival at then-Newport Cinemas! (We may call all of this bias, and you’ve now been forewarned!).

Hedwig follows the story of Hansel, a young boy growing up with his mother in Communist East Berlin, dreaming of life on the other side of the wall and looking for a way out. In his teens, he meets an American GI who is willing to marry him and whisk him away to America, if he’ll “leave something behind.” Hansel undergoes a botched sex change operation, adopts the name of Hedwig in starting life anew, and then, once arrived in the U.S., is unceremoniously dumped by Luther and (in the most natural and logical next step) sets out on the road with a rock band to tell her tale—with angsty teenage boys, domestic disturbances and some unforgiving audience members along

the way. It’s theatre but it’s also a rock concert. It’s a

brave leap both on stage and on screen, and it has a HEART to it that’s both unexpected and unde-niable. The thing is, man, the wig really DOES fit all heads—everyone can take something from Hedwig, even if it’s just a quizzical furrowing of the brow (like my aunt!), or a great song (also like my aunt!). And while gender-bending might be the most obvious thing about this tribute to life on the edge (of society…), its lasting appeal lies in its ability to capture the hearts of even the most skeptical viewer. Give it a shot, then, dear reader.

Not your speed, you say? (How could you?! Hehe.) The west coast premiere of David Mamet’s newest play, Race, is currently running at Interplayers through April 16, while the Civic Theatre has traded their stage for a sWimming pool for their production of Metamorphoses, through April 17 (please tell me about that!).

On the musiC music side of things, Platform Booking has partnered with the Inlander, Audio Affiliated and TheSomShow.com for a show ben-efitting earthquake victims in Japan on April 22. A $10 minimum donation gets you through the door at Nyne Bar & Bistro, with two stages fea-turing music from Flying Spiders, Jesi B & The Allrights and DJ Stone Tobey (and more!), as well as live art by Darcy Lee Drury, Jason Corcoran and Tiffany Patterson. It’s a big, awesome collaboration between the best and the brightest—and chances are it will expand in the days prior. Do it to it! //

steve reiCH / “musiC For 18 musiCians”Start a long journey out of Spokane by listening to an acoustic trance that inspired electronica. The rhythms and harmonies of this nearly hour-long song will roll by like the Palouse hills outside your window.

radioHead / “everYtHing in its rigHt plaCe” / Kid aThis is the song that got me hooked on Radiohead. Smooth synth for the ribbon of asphalt lying ahead no matter your destination.

roBert sCHumann / leBHaFt (First movement) / sYmpHonY no 3 “rHeinisH”Depicting the Rhine River, this symphony is the perfect accompaniment to the grandeur of the Columbia River. Start listening as you descend into the gorge, and if you’re lucky the horn section will blare as you cross the river.

JoHn adams / “meister eCKHardt and QuaCKie” / HarmonieleHreThe last movement of Harmonielehre, a masterpiece that fuses minimalism and romanticism, starts with the music of the stars and ends with the music of the mountains. Put it on the next time you cross the Cascades.

tHe doors / “roadHouse Blues” / morrison HotelAn entire album made for a road trip that starts out with one of my favorite songs. It has everything that makes the Doors great blues performers—greasy harmonica, a driving shuffle beat, and lyrics to match. //

LukE BAkkENPlays bassoon and contrabassoon for the Spokane Symphony Orchestra

tHe stroKesangles (rCa)If you’re a long-suffering fan of the Strokes (ahem), their return is cause for celebration. If you’ve sur-vived their long periods of downtime and incon-sistency (read: shooting themselves in the foot/feet?) and you’re stillllll with ‘em (ahemmmm), you’ve probably already decided that this is their best collective work since the 2001 debut. Sure, it’s never been obvious whether their long-winded breaks benefit them as artists or actually just serve as a detriment to establishing and maintaining relevance, but, lucky for them, by now they are free to sound like whatever they might like. Here, they’ve honed their further-developed sound (debuted, in part, on 2006’s First Impressions of Earth) and enough time has passed that it works great. In 2011, nobody is expecting the Strokes to sound like anything but GOOD, and they do. This is fresher, cleaner (in a dirty way, dig) and better than they’ve sounded in a long time (maybe ever?). Album closer “Life is Simple in the Moonlight” is a serious highlight, and lead single “Under Cover of Darkness” feels the most like their classic form.

Cd OF thE mONth //


rememBer WHen tHe choice of “energy drinks” consisted of Gatorade? Maybe a cup of coffee with breakfast? How times have changed. What started with Red Bull has now become a field of hundreds (www.screamingenergy.com/). As you will see by the reviewers on this site, ath-leticism is not exactly a prerequisite for drinking these liquid pick-me-ups. Yet, plenty of athletes are turning to these drinks for a boost. So is there any truth behind the hype? Let’s take a look.

There has been an impressive marketing push suggesting a link between energy drinks and improved training and racing (www.redbullusa.com/cs/RedBull/main/index.html). And the mar-keting seems to have worked, as it is estimated that 24-56 percent of adolescents and age-groupers used them from 2001 to 2008. Most share some common ingredients—hefty amounts of caffeine and sugar, followed by a collection of purported beneficial substances, such as taurine, L-carnitine,

guarana, ginseng and B-vitamins. While there’s limited research to suggest some performance benefits, there are some caveats as well.

There are a couple of reasons for concern. Their caffeine levels (range: 50-500 mg/serving as compared to 34-54 mg/12-ounces of cola or 75-150 mg/6-ounces of coffee) can be risky for some groups. For example, for adolescents, energy drinks been found to increase blood pressure and cause sleep disturbances, and for pregnant women (who may not know they’re pregnant early in their pregnancies) it has been associated with miscar-riages. They’ve become a subculture of the party scene, and “energy shots”—their combination with alcohol—have been shown to both increase alcohol consumption (aka “wide-awake drunken-ness”) as well as lead to alcohol-related events such

Healthan�dFitn�es�s�whAt’S IN AN ENERgy dRINk?Can It help? / By dr. Bob Lutz

as DUIs. And maybe most alarmingly, there has been some evidence to suggest their regular usage may lead to greater rates of substance abuse and addiction, although the reasons remain unclear. But what about their performance “benefits”?

A few studies have suggested that exercise endurance can be improved with minimal changes in the level of perceived exertion. Of course, this is a great benefit—work out longer and harder without feeling any worse than normal. While it is unclear what accounts for these improvements, most believe it is the caffeine—a well-recognized ergogenic aid that has been shown to cause similar results.

As to the other special ingredients found in the can, benefits have been noted for some, but often in significantly higher doses than what is available in a typical serving. For example, L-carnitine—a naturally occurring substance primarily found in meat and dairy products—has been shown to improve aerobic capacity in some studies. Supplementation ranges were 1-3 grams/day, in contrast to the 25 mg/serving of Rockstar Punched (which Jason, a respected reviewer from the aforementioned website, gave an 8 out of 10 energy rating).

You will also find 25 mg/serving of guarana seed extract in Rockstar. It is derived from a South American plant and is a well-recognized stimulant, with the seeds having about twice as much caffeine as coffee beans. Found to improve memory in rats, it seems to do the same for people, but in doses 1.5-3 times greater than what you’ll find in the can. As to improving run times, well maybe by allow-ing you to remember the race course; otherwise, no data so far.

There is also ginseng—a plant native to Asia and northeastern North America—typically called Panax; although given the cost, it is questionable that it’s really present. It’s rich in ginsenosides, sometimes called “adaptogens” because of their historical attribution of strength and the ability to adapt to stressors. However, as stated in a review, “Enhanced physical performance after ginseng administration in well-designed investigations remains to be seen.”

And my favorite of the special ingredients in energy drinks is taurine, whose name is derived from the Latin taurus (bull). While sometimes stated to be essential for humans—meaning we don’t synthesize it and therefore we need it in our diets—it is actually a naturally occurring com-pound found in bile that assists in digestion of fats. Now, for domesticated indoor cats, it’s essential, and you’ll find it in store-bought cat food (and in mouse brains, no comment); but it is not essential for us. And as to its exercise benefits? While the name suggests strength, research to date hasn’t found this to be the case.

This leads me to conclude that much of the pro-motional hype around energy drinks is just that. While there is typically more than enough caffeine and sugar to get you buzzed, real improvements in performance come from completing the train-ing time and eating and hydrating well, especially before races. In my opinion, if you want some pre-race energy, stick to your usual routine of carbs, hydration and maybe a cup or two of your caffein-ated beverage of choice—and don’t look for magic energy in a can. //

there has been some evi-dence to suggest their regu-lar usage may lead to great-er rates of substance abuse and addiction, although the

reasons remain unclear.

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CYCLING

(may 15) Lilac Century and Family Fun Ride. Info: sanwrc.org

(may 21) Inland Empire Century. Richland, WA Info: inlandempirecentury.org

(may 18, 25 June 1, 8, 15, 22, 29) wednesday Night mountain Bike Series. Info: 509-879-5119

(may 21, 26, June 4) Spangle time trial Series. Info: 509-363-6825, [email protected]

(may 23 – 24) 24 hrs Round and Round mt Bike race at Riverside Park. Info: roundandround.com

(June 4) ChaFE 150 Sandpoint, Id. Beautiful ride in Idaho & Montana Info: 208-290-7148 www.chafe150.org

(June 11) the mad dash - 4 & 8 hour solo or relay moun-tain bike race. Info: adventuresportsweek.com

(June 11-12) Spokane mountaineers mountain Bike Skills Clinic. Info: spokanemountaineers.org

(July 1-4) Northwest tandem Rally. 4 days of tandem biking. Info: 509-363-6825

(July 23) gran Fondo mt Bike Ride. 10, 17, 35, 50 mile options. Info: .bicycleservice.com/4thJuly

(September 10) Purpleride: Spoke d’ Alene 2. Info: purpleride.org

MARATHONS

(may 14) windermere marathon, Spokane, washington. Info: windermeremarathon.com/site3.aspx.

(may 29) Coeur d’Alene marathon/half-marathon/5k. Info: 509-979-4370, cdamarathon.com

(June 5) teen Closet 50 mile Relay Race. Info: 509-993-5471.

(June 11) deepwater trail marathons! Info: adventure-sportsweek.com.

RUNNING

(may 1) Lilac Bloomsday Run. Spokane’s Rite of Spring. Info: bloomsdayrun.org

(may 14) windermere marathon. Spokane Post Falls to Spokane. Info: WindermereMarathon.com

(may 14) Spokane Community trail Run 5/10/15km & uSAtF trail Championships. Info: spokanesports.org

(may 15) maifest Village Rennen “Fun Run”. Info: leav-enworth.org

(may 21) Boys & girls Club of kootenai County Jordan

Johnson memorial Fun Run/walk. Info: bgc-northi-daho.org

(may 29) Coeur d’Alene marathon. Spend Memorial Day Weekend. in C’d’A. Info: cdamarathon.com

(June 4) glenrose mountain goat Challlenge 10k. Info: mountaingoatchallenge.com

(June 5) Adventure Sports week Road Rush - 5k, 10k and 10 mile runs. Info: adventuresportsweek.com

(July 23) Spokenya Run. Help those in Adiedo Kenya build a new medical clinic. Info: spokenyarun.org

(August 20) Strides for Strong Bones. Info: wastrong-bones.org

(August 20) Expedition Idaho Road Run. Info: expedi-tionidahorace.com

TRIATHALON

(June 11) the x tri! An off-road triathlon. Info: adven-turesportsweek.com

(June 26) Ironman, Coeur d’Alene. Info: ironmancda.com

(July 31) Spokane triathlon. International and Sprint Distance. Info: spokanetriathlon.com

(August 6) troika triathlon. Medical Lake to Riverfront Park. Info: troikatriathlon.com

(August 6) whidbey Island triathlon (Langley, wA) A great first tri on a scenic course. Info: whidbeytri-athlon.com.

(August 21) west Plains wunderwoman triathlon. Info: emdesports.com/wunderwoman_triathlon/home.html

(September 4) Annual Steve Braun memorial triathlon, Orcas Island, wA. Info: friendsofmoran.com

(October 1) Route of the hiawatha ultramarathon. Info: 208-664-0135

ADVENTURE RACING

(August 14-20) Expedition Idaho! One of the premier expedition length races in the world! Info: expeditioni-dahorace.com

(June 4-5) Adventure Sports week “One Long day” Adventure Race. Info: adventuresportsweek.com

(June 5) ASw Sprint Adventure Race. Info: adventure-sportsweek.com

(June 5) Adventure kids Challenge! Clinic & 3hr adven-ture race for kids. Info: www.adventuresportsweek.com //

OutdoorCalen�dar Subm�it your even�t at www.outtherem�on�thly.com�

Please visit www.outtheremonthly.com and click the “submit your event” link. // Events MUST be sent in by the 20th of the month to be listed in the following month’s issue. Please follow the when, where format as seen in the calendar. Ongoing events need to be re-submitted each month.

Have an� Even�t You Would Like to Lis�t? //

siXmoNthtraiNiNgcaleNdarcircuit road race consisting of rolling hills and near-constant wind. Not for the weak. Info: 509-270-8347, spokanerocketvelo.com.

(April 14) drive-train maintenance Course. When: 6:30 PM.Where: 1802 E Sprague. This course will cover the mechanical inspection, diagnostics, and repairs pertaining to derailleur shifting systems. This is a hands-on class, bring your on bike! Info: 509-842-6597, pedals2people.org

(April 17) wOw meet n greet. When: 1 PM. Where: Mirabeau Park. Weather permitting, join us at Mirabeau for a get together and ride on the trail! Please keep an eye on our forum for details! Info: 509-951-6366, wowcycling.com.

(April 20) wheel Building Course. When: 6PM. Where: 1802 E Sprague. Learn to lace, true, dish, and tension a new wheel from the ground up. Contact the organization for wheel info! Info: 509-842-6597, pedals2people.org.

(April 20) Beginning Bike maintenance. When: 7 PM. Where: REI Spokane, 1125 N Monroe. Learn about caring for your two-wheeled friend at this introductory class. Register for this free class. Info: 509-328-9900, rei.com/Spokane.

(may 5) Spangle time trial Series day 1. When: 6 PM. Where: Spangle, WA. Join us for the first of 4 time trials over a great road course. Day 2 on May 21, Day 3 on May 26, Day 4 on June 4. Info: 509-363-6825, [email protected]

SKI/SNOWBOARD/ICE SKATE

(April 1-2) “24 hours of Schweitzer” when: 8:30 Am, Fri - 8:30 Am Sat. Where: Schweitzer Mountain Resort, Sandpoint, ID. Third-annual ski and snowboard benefit event and auction held in honor of 4-year-old Hank Sturgis, who has the rare, incurable disease cystinosis. Info: 208-610-2131, 24hoursforhank.org.

HIKING/BACKPACKING/SNOWSHOE

(April 1 thru may) Spokane mountaineers Backpack School. When: Fridays at 6:30 PM. MountainGear HQ, E. 6021 Mansfield. Learn the skills of camping and exploring the outdoors. Learn about the clothing,equipment,cooking,wellness, safety,navigation,outdoor etiquette, trailcraft,local hikes. Info: 509-838-8415, spokanemountaineers.org.

CLIMBING

(Ongoing wednesdays) Spider monkey Climbing Club. When: 5 – 7PM. Where: Wild Walls, 202 W. 2nd Ave. For kids ages 4 – 10 years. Please call ahead. Come climb with friends! Cost $12 (single visit), $74 (8 punch pass). Info: 509-455-9596.

(Ongoing Saturdays) Saturday Climbing. When: 1-4 PM. Where: REI Spokane, 1125 N Monroe. Looking for a fun activity for the whole family? Come climb our wall! We have gear you can use and routes from easy to difficult. Info: 509-328-9900, rei.com/spokane

(April 4 & may 2) women’s Climb Night. When: 6-8 PM. Where: REI Spokane, 1125 N Monroe. Ladies, learn to climb or practice your skills in a relaxed, encouraging atmosphere. Varied routes, gear you can use. A great girls’ night! Info: 509-328-9900. rei.com/Spokane.

(April 21, 23, 30 & may 14, 15) Spokane mountaineers Rock School. When: 1 evening class, 4 full-day weekend classes. Where: Spokane Area. This course is designed to teach the basics of rock climbing. Topics covered include proper belay, climbing, and rappelling techniques and use of anchors. Info: spokanemountaineers.org

CYCLING

(Ongoing) Pedals 2 People Open Shop. When: Thursdays through Saturdays, 2pm -6pm T-F, 11am-6pm Sat. Where: Pedals 2 People, 1802 E Sprague. The Pedals2People Community bike shop provides a place where you can learn to work on your bike and affordably rent tool space. Info: 509-842-6597, pedals2people.org/.

(Ongoing) wOw Cycling Club for women. Ladies - it’s cold outside, but keep checking the forum for things to do in these cold months to stay in shape! Info: 509-951-6366.

(April 3) Free Community tune-up. When: Noon. Where: 1802 E Sprague. Free Tune-Up day at the P2P DIY community shop! Bring your bikes in for a spring cleaning and enjoy a free vegan meal! Info: 509-842-6597, pedals2people.org

(April 9) Ronde van Palouse. When: 11 AM. Where: Spangle, WA. Ronde van Palouse 23-mile

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OutdoorCalen�dar APR 2011OutdOORCALENdAR

(April 2) “weird-O” Orienteering. When:10 AM – Noon. Where: Finch Arboretum. Eastern Washington Orienteering Club sponsors an unorth-odox map and compass event in Finch Arboretum in honor of April Fool’s Day. Info: ewoc.org/events.htm

(April 7) Backpacking Basics Class. When: 7 PM. Where: REI Spokane, 1125 N Monroe. In this show-and-tell session REI will take the mystery out of backpacking. Come and learn how to get started in this fun activity. Info: 509-328-9900, rei.com/Spokane.

(April 9) REI dishman hills Service Project. When: 9:30 AM-1 PM. Where: Camp Caro, 625 S. Sargent. Recruiting all volunteers to the Dishman Hills Natural Area! Based at Camp Caro, we will work to support this great outdoor resource. Info: 509-328-9900, rei.com/spokane

(April 14) Volunteer trail maintenance. When: 8:30 AM. Where: Iller Creek Conservation Area. Having fun giving back to trails! Join a Washington Trails Association’s volunteer trail work party. No experience necessary. Sign-up at www.wta.org. Info: 206-625-1367, wta.org.

(April 14) Lightweight Backpacking. When: 7 PM. Where: REI Spokane, 1125 N Monroe. We’ll cover shelters, backpacks, food choices, and fuel efficiency to help you go light and fast on your next trip. Info: 509-328-9900, rei.com/spokane

(April 16) Volunteer trail maintenance. When: 8:30 AM. Where: Liberty Lake, Join WTA for a fun day, as we get trails in shape for the hiking season. No experience necessary. Sign-up on WTA’s web-site. Info: 206-625-1367, wta.org

(April 17) Line Orienteering. When: 1-3 PM. Where: Riverside State Park Bowl and Pitcher. Eastern Washington Orienteering Club will host a line orienteering event. Use map and compass to stay on the prescribed course. Info: ewoc.org/events.htm

(April 30) Iller Creek Conservation Area “Spring in Bloom” hike with Rich Leon. When: 9 AM. Iller Creek Conservation Area. Put some spring into your step before Bloomsday! Enjoy two hours of hiking with local experts in the beautiful, protected Iller Creek Conservation Area. Info: 509-328-2939, [email protected]

(may 1) Juniper dunes Native Plant Exploration hike. When: Meet 6:45 AM in McDonald’s parking lot off I-90 Exit 272 just south of freeway. Juniper Dunes Wilderness Area. A unique opportunity to see many sand loving plants not commonly found near Spokane. Wear good hiking boots. Bring water, lunch, hat and sunscreen. Info: [email protected], nechapterwnps.org

RUNNING/WALKING

(Ongoing in April) Snap Fitness Bloomsday training Clinic. When: 6 PM. Monday’s and Wednesday’s. Where: Local Snap Fitness and Downtown. Train for your best Bloomsday ever with Snap Fitness. Walkers, joggers and runners welcome. Run with us Monday and Wednesday at 6pm. Info: 509-473-9477, snapfitness.com

(April 2) gS Cookie Fun Run. When: 9 AM. Where: Dwight Merkel Complex. Fun Run 3 miles, or 1 mile, t-shirt, $15.00 on time $20.00 late. Awards and prizes!! Info: 509-327-3803, [email protected].

(April 11) Running Basics: Beyond Bloomsday. When: 7 PM. Where: REI Spokane, 1125 N Monroe. Bloomsday have you inspired to get into running? Find out how from local running legend, coach and REI employee Rick Riley. Info: 509-328-9900, rei.com/spokane

(may 14) uSA 15km trail Championships. When: 9 AM - 2 PM. Where: Riverside State Park. See the country’s best trail runners compete for a national title or participate in the community run! Info: 509-456-5812, spokanesports.org

TRIATHLONS

(April 15) dave Scott triathlon Camp & dinner. When: 6 PM. Where: Lewis & Clark H.S. 6x ironman Dave Scott triathlon camp & dinner. Learn swim, bike and run from the best! Info: 509-995-9544, active4youth.org/dave-scott-triathlon-weekend

PADDLING

(April 10,17 & may 1) Intro to kayak. FLOW Adventures is offering an introduction to kayak class. So get in the pool and learn the basics of kayaking. Must pre-register, space is limited. Cost: $125. Info: 509-242-8699.

(April 25) Spokane Canoe & kayak Club. When: 7 PM. Where: Corbin Community Center 827 W. Cleveland. Bill & Deb Pierce will be a hosting slide presentation on their Antarctica adventure. All are welcome to attend. Info: 509-891-6069, [email protected].

(may 7) Roll Clinic. Where: FlOW Adventures (Rental Pool). FLOW Adventures is offering a a kayak roll clinic. Come learn to roll your white-water or touring kayak. Must pre-register, space is limited. Cost: $60. Info: 509-242-8699.

YOGA

(march 1 - April 29) Iyengar yoga 8 -week series for beginners. When: Mon, 9:30 AM or Tues or Thurs at 6 PM. Where: Sunflower Yoga, 6413 E. 14th Ave. Learn Iyengar yoga with atten-tion to detail, alignment, use of props as needed and teacher adjustments. Gentle and intemediate classes also offered. Info: 509-535-7369, www.sun-floweryoga.net

EVENTS/MOVIES/MISC…

(April 10) kirtan with dave Stringer and Ensemble. When: 8 PM. Where: Spokane Yoga Shala, 505 E. 24th Ave. Dave Stringer’s sound marries the transcendent mysticism of traditional Indian instruments with the exuberant, groove-oriented sensibility of American gospel. Advance tickets available online at www.spokaneyogashala.com: $20; $25 at the door. Tickets non-refundable. Space is limited! Info: 509-869-4121.

(April 16) Spokannibals Roller derby Bout. When: 7 PM. Where: Roller Valley 9416 E. 4th. Description: Spokannibals vs. Rolling Hills, spo-kanes newest league. all women all athletic all cool. tickets at the door or from brownpaper or time bomb. Info: 509-953-8775, spokannibals.com

(April 28) PEAk training, Learn how to teach Leave No trace to kids and gain access to the free REI tools for facilitating outdoor stew-ardship activities. Info: 509-328-9900, rei.com/Spokane

(may 19) Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to benefit Spokane Riverkeeper. When: 7:30 – 9 PM. Where: Martin Woldson Theater at The Fox. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is an international leader in the cause for clean and healthy waterways and his talk will help champion the cause of cleaning up and protecting our precious resources, like the Spokane River. He will be speak-ing on Thursday, May 19 and 7:30 pm at the Martin Woldson Theater at The Fox. Tickets are $17 and $7 for students and are available through TicketsWest. His talk will benefit the Spokane Riverkeeper. Info: cforjustice.org

(may 21-22) Leave No trace trainer. When: Over Night 9 AM Sat - 4 PM Sunday. Where: Riverside State Park. Spokane Parks and Recreation along with FLOW Adventures is offering a Leave No Trace Trainer Course. Info: 509-625-6200, spokaneparks.org.//

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We at out tHere montHlY have demystified the psyche of the Northwest bicyclist. Our find-ings? The Northwest bicyclist is never satisfied with an epic ride. At the other side of each finish line, a longer, steeper, crazier journey always awaits.

For every insatiable cycling appetite, someone is dreaming about a new way to tear the tread off the tires of any rider willing to take on the chal-lenge. The Northwest trails map looks like a child’s coloring book—so many squirrelly lines as to be scarcely intelligible—and still, riders are forging new adventures.

From a lunchtime escape to a months-long journey, OTM has sought out the toughest, most breathtaking and the craziest rides for Northwest riders to attempt in 2011.

--------------------------------------------1: ronde van palouse(71 or 48 miles)“Epic is a debated term,” says Alan Jacob, the sec-retary and treasurer for Spokane Rocket Velo, a local race team promoting bicycle riding and rac-ing in the Spokane area. “Some folks will define it as a long, grueling ride. That’s too easy.” Unless there’s imminent danger of death, he says, you haven’t got epic.

Ronde van Palouse (Tour of the Palouse), which takes place this month, fulfills Jacob’s criteria for the word. “It’s not a charity ride. It’s not a tick-ling contest. People are out to hurt each other,” he says.

This 71- and 48-mile USA Cycling-sanctioned

course is not for beginners. Spokane Rocket Velo has aimed to create a highly competitive race to attract racers from all over the country.

Four miles of gravel road makes the 23-mile circuit a mind-bender. “People have this kind of

weird fear that road bikes can’t go on gravel,” says Jacob. Although the course is ride-able, it’s scary.

“Sprinting on gravel is a challenge because you’re throwing your weight side to side and your bike isn’t really tracking as well,” he says.

Riders who are not prepared for the gravel, as well as other obstacles presented by this course, will not fare well. “If you’re not mentally sort of ready for gravel, and the wind, and the rollers, you’re just going to beat yourself up in 10 miles,” Jacob says.

That’s just what happened to many seasoned riders last year, he says. “When they finished, they were crushed. They were demoralized. They were whooped. Riders who were great riders got dropped.”

Since the inaugural race last year, Ronde van Palouse has gained legend status among local rid-ers, who now use it as a reference point for the difficulty level of other races, says Jacob. “Many

people seem to be racing it this year with a ven-detta.”

Ronde van Palouse 2011 is April 9th at Liberty High School (the staging area) in Spangle, Washington. Race fee is $25 plus additional fees

for USA Cycling membership and WSBA race number.

for more information, visit www.spokanerocket-

velo.com.

--------------------------------------------2: san Juan islands (296 miles)For a Choose Your Own Adventure-style distance trek, tour the San Juan Islands, located 80 miles north of Seattle in the Puget Sound. The four ferry-accessible islands in the sound—Lopez, San Juan, Shaw and Orcas—give riders plenty of options for distance, level of difficulty, and amenities.

Spokane journalist Carey Williams and his rid-ing partner, Ross Jonak, spent seven days exploring the islands by bike. At the Anacortes ferry termi-nal, they parked their vehicle and bought ferry

tickets. Bikers are charged the same as foot pas-sengers, and island hopping is free for both bikers and walk-ons.

They rode 269 miles along the islands’ quiet two-lane roads, spotting deer, seals, a bald eagle, and other wildlife along the way. “You’re pretty much guaranteed to see a whale,” says Williams. “On the main island, San Juan Island, we were just riding trying to get to our campsite and noticed a bunch of cars—there was just a big pod of [orca] whales there.”

Each island is topographically different, he says. On Orcas Island, they grinded their gears up Mount Constitution (2,500’ elevation), with the payoff being an awesome 360-degree view of all the islands. Lopez Island, which Williams describes as a cycling paradise, is almost totally flat. “You’re kind of working your tail off riding your bike, but then you arrive at this beautiful beach and you can put your feet in the sand,” he says.

The San Juans attract tons of cyclists and kay-akers. “The cool thing is, the islands are kind of geared toward doing something like this,” says Williams. But be advised, summer is high season on the islands so expect lots of cars trying to share narrow roads with bikes. On Orcas some off-road trails are not open to biking in the summer. The county and state campgrounds available on the islands allow you to make reservations online from five to 90 days in advance, which is a good idea in the busy summer tourist season. However, some campsites may be available on a first-come, first-serve basis, especially the walk-in sites for camp-

A COAStAL VIEw ON thE SAN JuAN ISLANdS. // PhOtO CAREy wILLIAmS.

ChOOSE yOuR OwN EPIC RIdE8 tREkS tO CONquER

------------------------------------------------------------------- FOR EVERy INSAtIABLE CyCLINg APPEtItE, SOmEONE IS

dREAmINg ABOut A NEw wAy tO tEAR thE tREAd OFF thE tIRES OF ANy RIdER wILLINg tO tAkE ON thE ChALLENgE.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

By ERIkA PRINS


ers without cars, which have special reduced fees. Each island has at least one grocery store, so riders don’t need to load up their panniers with food at home.

Since each ride virtually forms a circle, riders can stay at the same campsite two nights in a row. “On three of the islands, we stayed for two days, so we were able to drop off our gear at the campsite and then go around the island without our gear,” Williams says.

to plan a trip to the san Juan Islands, begin by

visiting www.travelsanjuan.com/bikes.

--------------------------------------------3: Colville national Forest (20-50 miles)Trying to ride around in Colville National Forest goes something like this: Take a left at that tall tree; look for the tiny numbered sign; expect trails to end randomly.

OTM bike columnist John Speare has undertaken the task of finding and mapping what isn’t generally findable or mapped: the forest’s best bike rides.

“One pain in the arse about riding in National Forests is that generally you are following old log-ging roads, which were not optimized to provide connectivity in a predictable and grid-like fash-ion,” he wrote on his Cycling Spokane blog after a ride there last fall. “Add to that the fact that there’s just not a single good authoritative online map for most of these areas.”

On that particular trip, Speare and a couple of buddies parked somewhere on Highway 395 and made their way to Boulder Pass Road, which eventually led them to a “proper” Forest Service road, which led them to a less proper trail that climbed 1,200 feet in about a mile. They rode the “Thomson Ridge” to Davis Lake, then headed back downhill.

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cross-state route, sort of. “There are all kinds of chunks and pieces that are missing,” he says. “It’s definitely an adventure.” Make sure to plan your water sources carefully as services are very sparse.

On the trail, Speare says there’s an easier way to a good night’s sleep than lugging around a motel room in panniers: “Ride a s---load of miles, so you don’t need much to be comfortable, you just collapse.”

In exchange for enduring unnecessary hard-ship, trail riders get to ride along the old Chicago-Milwaukee-St. Paul-Pacific Railroad through tun-nels and over trestles with incredible views of the Columbia Basin. A 100-mile stretch of the trail runs through Iron Horse State Park, which takes riders along the Yakima River and over Snoqualmie pass. Later, riders enter the Yakima Firing Range, which Speare identifies as an especially tough sec-tion of the route.

Crossing the Columbia River requires advanced planning. Speare says that section of Interstate 90 cannot be safely biked.

When Speare rode the trail with a friend, they threw in the towel at Othello and completed the trip on pavement. “Be happy with where you get,” he says. “You can always bail out. There’s always a road you can go to.”

for more information on the John wayne Pioneer

trail, visit: www.parks.wa.gov

--------------------------------------------5: Bitterroot loop (186 miles)In October 2010, both the Trail of the Hiawatha and the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes were named in the Rails to Trails Conservancy’s Hall of Fame for converted rail lines.

The Bitterroot Loop connects these two dedi-cated bike trails with two multi-use trails—the NorPac and the Milwaukee—and a 12-mile stretch of SR-5 along Lake Coeur d’Alene. Spokane riders should start the loop at a trailhead on the Coeur d’Alene Indian Reservation in Plummer, Idaho, 45 miles from Spokane.

Estar Holmes, author of the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes Unofficial Guidebook, recommends that riders plan to stop along the way to explore the small towns along the way, including Harrison, Wallace and Kellogg. (See this month’s Roadtrip for an in-depth look at Wallace, Idaho.)

The Route of the Hiawatha passes through old railroad tunnels, so riders should equip their bikes with a front light and bring warm clothing layers. A camera will come in handy, too—trestles along this portion of the route offer spectacular views of the Silver Valley.

for more information on the bitterroot loop,

visit: friendsofcdatrails.org

--------------------------------------------6: midnigHt CenturY (100 miles)As the name suggests, the Midnight Century starts at midnight and goes for 100 miles. No water stations. No strategically-placed Honey Buckets. Just the rider, some buddies and the night.

The Midnight Century takes off from The Elk Public House in Browne’s Addition the first Saturday of August each year. Local chef David Blaine originally organized the ride. Now, however, it’s simply a “if people show, it happens” sort of affair. Last year’s ride had about 20 participants. The top finishers completed the ride in just over six hours.

“I have to be honest. I haven’t actually finished it,” says The Shop barista Joe Thomsen, who has started the ride three times. Last year, he turned around at Liberty Lake, which is the point where riders leave the Centennial Trail. “I’m gonna finish

“When you come into Boulder Pass, and you go up and over, it’s just a killer ride,” says Speare. “You could spend—and I plan to spend—a lot of time [there] this summer.”

Speare rides in Colville National Forest because the views are beautiful and there’s hardly anyone around. “Every time you go somewhere, there’s just a parking lot of cars,” he says, but not here. Well-maintained roads and smooth dirt makes riding safe and easy enough for kids.

for information about the colville national

forest, visit www.fs.fed.us/r6/colville. visit John

speare’s blog at cyclingspokane.blogspot.com

to read about his adventures in colville national

forest and view route maps.

--------------------------------------------4: east to West (300 miles)Do this trip for street cred. Dropping “yeah, I rode my bike across the state” into as many conversations as possible can only result in good fortune. Aside from earning major bragging rights, cyclists see a lot more than they would on a cross-state car ride.

The 300-mile trip from Spokane to the West Side can take anywhere between three days and a week. John Speare says he’s done the trip in two days, but he doesn’t recommend it. (No really. Don’t do it.) To enjoy the experience, he says, plan to take your time.

Of a few options for riding across the state, Speare recommends Highway 20 for road riders and the John Wayne Pioneer Trail for hardcore trail riders. Highway 20, the northerly route across the state, is “not as interesting” as riding the trail, he says, but it can be done in fewer days.

Not to be taken lightly, says Speare, the John Wayne Pioneer trail offers mountain bikers a

2011 Spokane Marathon

October 9th, 2011

Supporting Spokane’s high school cross country teams since 1997.

Marathon • Half MarathonMarathon Relay • 10k

www.spokanemarathon.us

HOST HOTEL

dEER CROSSINg thE ROAd IN thE SAN JAuN ISLANdS. // PhOtO CAREy wILLIAmS.


the damn thing this year,” he says.All the reasons most people would never

attempt a ride like this—that it sounds miserable, for example—are why Thomsen loves it. “I’m not a big organized bike ride kind of guy, and for me it’s just sort of the challenge of doing that,” he says. “It’s like a marathon—you either want to do it or you don’t.”

The Midnight Century route goes to Liberty Lake, through the Palouse to Spangle, then follows dirt roads almost to Cheney before heading back to Spokane. The first rest stop only comes after 75 miles, in Spangle. And the one gas station and one restaurant in town don’t open until 6:00 am.

Riders should assume they will be on their own for the entire ride and bring a GPS, tool kit and plenty of food and water. “You need to be able to deal with some sort of crisis,” says Thomsen. “You definitely need to be able to change a tire.”

One year, he says, another rider’s derailleur mal-functioned and had to finish the ride using only one gear. Another rider was almost hit by a deer that she didn’t see in the pitch black. “Your lights are really what you’ve got,” says Thomsen.

He recommends riding the course in daylight before attempting the midnight ride, as it is easy to take the wrong turn at a dirt road intersection in the dark.

spokane midnight century 2011 begins on

August 6th at 11:59 pm at the elk Public house

in browne’s Addition. no entry fee. for more

information on the midnight century ride, visit

www.midnightcentury.com.

--------------------------------------------7: tip 2 tip (14,000 miles)It’s just as nuts as it sounds. Last summer, Catalina

Andaluz and Peter Adams set out to ride from northern Alaska to Argentina.

So far, they’ve made it to the Mexico Border. “After talking with a few other cyclists that were coming up from the south, we decided that it would be best to wait [to complete the trip],” says Andaluz. Almost all the riders they met either had been mugged or encountered other dangers related to unrest in Latin America. They returned home to Spokane and plan to resume the journey next summer.

“You have to be flexible with that kind of a trip,” says Andaluz. “It was kind of a really hard decision, especially when you’ve been geared up to bike for a year.”

In a span of time just shy of three months, Andaluz and Adams rode from Fairbanks, Alaska, to the Mexican border. They averaged about 85 miles per day, six days per week, and rested on Sundays. Some sound advice? “You have to have a rest day for sanity,” says Andaluz.

The other six days a week, Andaluz and Adams woke up around 5:00 am, packed all the gear back onto their bikes, then rode up to 50 miles before taking a long rest. In the afternoon, they took breaks every 20 miles or so.

Andaluz recommends setting weekly mileage goals to stay on schedule. That way, completing each day’s mileage goal means not having to put in extra miles later on. “If you’ve been climbing for 15 miles, and you’re like, ‘this is lame,’ it really

helps to think ‘well, I have to get [insert: goal] by the end of the week,’ ” she says.

A few weeks into the ride, they elected to lighten their load by ditching the electric stove and a few other non-essentials. From that point on, they relied on dried fruit, muffins, salami and Ritz crackers, and three daily doses of Amazing Grass protein powder for the rest of the ride.

To Andaluz’s surprise, walking around filthy and haggard elicited sympathy—and generosi-ty—from strangers. “Sometimes people bought

us meals or gave us 20 bucks and said, ‘Here. Go eat a full meal,’ ” says Andaluz. In Alaska, someone they met in a coffee shop offered them a place to sleep for the night.

Through Warm Showers, a website linking cyclists on long trips with hospitality, they occa-sionally connected with people willing to put them up for a night in their homes. “One time, this guy let us stay in his house in Oregon and he wasn’t there,” she says. “We didn’t want to sleep in the beds because they were so nicely made, so we just threw our mats down in the front room.”

Andaluz and Adams’ Tip 2 Tip ride helps sup-port Active:Water, a non-profit organization that supports clean water projects through athletic fundraising. Active:Water’s partner organizations in Africa build and maintain wells, and provide sanitation education, to communities in Zambia.

for more information about Andaluz and Adam’s

ongoing journey, or to help them fundraise for

Active:water, visit www.tip2tip2010.org. visit

www.warmshowers.org to get connected with

the warm showers network for touring cyclist

hospitality.

--------------------------------------------8: FisH laKe trail (15 miles)It probably can’t be proven, but the Fish Lake Trail definitely goes downhill both ways. Almost eight miles of impossibly smooth-paved trail, accessible from just west of downtown Spokane, makes for a lunchtime ride that Spokanites once only dreamed about—and fought for years to complete. Phase two of the paved route was fin-ished in 2009 with federal and state grant money and dedicated last May.

Before being paved, the abandoned Union Pacific rail line stood by as an old favorite for local mountain bikers and trail runners. Now it gets tons of traffic from walkers, runners and bik-ers of all skill levels. If you ride the entire trail east to Cheney be advised that you are trespassing on railroad property once the paved trail stops at the double railroad track crossing not far from Fish Lake. This section can be avoided by taking the Cheney Spokane Road for a few miles to Fish Lake.

As soon as riders get on the trail a block south of the intersection of Government Way and Sunset Boulevard, they forget they were just in the city. Riders can tune out work and traffic and every-thing else—except, perhaps, for an occasional loose llama that escaped through a neighbor’s fence. This is a trail to conquer again and again. //

for information about the fish lake trail, visit

www.inlandnorthwesttrails.org. //

W E AT H E R P R O O F C O N ST R U C T I O N / / I N T E G R AT E D H Y D R AT I O N // C L E A N D E S I G N

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Spring CompoSt Fair and

arbor day Celebration

Spokane County residents who complete the activities may take home a free compost bin. (Limit one per household.) Bins provided by the Spokane Regional Solid Waste System and the Washington State Dept. of Ecology. Please arrive by 1:30 p.m. and bring proof of residency.

Partial funding provided by a grant from the Washington State Department of Ecology.

For more information: Call the Recycling Hot Line, 625-6800

or go to www.solidwaste.org

Spokane Master Composters/Recyclers

Saturday, April 30, 2011 11 AM - 2 PM

John A. Finch Arboretum

Edible Perennials

Native Plants

Organic Veggie Starts

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Visit us online at SunPeopleDryGoods.com


An�n�ual Cyclin�g Calen�dar (con�tin�ued from� page 30)

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 30

(June 4) ChaFE 150 BIkE RIdE. Ride a 147-mile loop from Sandpoint to Troy to Bonner’s Ferry and back to Sandpoint. Bus from Troy available. www.chafe150.org

(June 4) thREE RIVERS RACE. Despite the name, it’s not a race; it’s a fund raising ride through the Grande Ronde Valley in Eastern Oregon. Choose from metric or full century. Includes 5k, 10k, half and full-marathon routes for runners and walkers. www.3riversrace.com

(June 4) wENAtChEE SuNRISE ROtARy APPLE CENtuRy. 11-mile family route plus 50 or 100 mile routes from Wenatchee to Lake Wenatchee via Leavenworth. www.applebikeride.com.

(June 5) INLANd ROAd RACE SERIES ChENEy-ROCk LAkE ROAd RACE. 73 miles of racing through Channeled Scabblands and scenic Palouse around Cheney. One-day licenses available. www.spokanerocketvelo.com/

(June 18) ANN wEAthERILL CyCLINg CLASSIC. 30, 60 and 100 mile options around Walla Walla, fully supported. www.wheatlandwheelers.com

(June 18) tOuR dE BLASt. Ride 33, 54, or 82-miles through the heart of the Mount St. Helens blast zone. Long route offers 6,200 feet of climbing with a 9-mile climb and descent! www.tourdeblast.com.

(June 18) I mAdE thE gRAdE. Climb 2000 feet up the Lewiston Hill along the Old Spiral Highway to the scenic vista. Route covers 18 miles. www.clarkstonpres.pcusa.cc/IMTG

(June 18) NIC ChALLENgE SPRINt AdVENtuRE RACE. Teams bike, run, paddle and navigate through each leg of a route that remains secret until race day. www.nic.edu/op

(June 18-19) dOuBLE dIVIdE RIdE. Cross the Great Divide, twice! 83 miles on day one; 56 miles on day two. Food! www.helenabicycleclub.com

(June 19) LOREEN mILLER BIkE RIdE. 3-mile family ride or walk/run options, plus 12, 50 and 100-mile routes. www.cancerpatientcare.org/index.php?pageControl=loreenbikeride

(June 19-26) CyCLE mONtANA. Six days and 358 miles of fully supported touring through Montana’s best scenery. Camping and Catered meals. www.adventurecycling.org

(June 21) RIdE thE wALL. Evening ride of 13 miles along the CCC-Wall Ridge route, winding along and above the Coeur d’Alene River. Begin and ends at Enaville Resort. www.hfhidaho.org/bike_event.htm

(June 22) SPOkANE SummER PARkwAyS. 6:00-9:00 p.m. South Hill route joins Manito and Comstock parks with Hart Field. www.summer-parkways.com

(June 25-26) mEthOw CyCLE ANd SPORt ChALLENgE. Race nearly 13 miles along the North Summit Nordic trail system and Bear Mountain trails. www.methowcyclesport.com

(June 25) NAtIVE PLANEt CLASSIC. 63 or 128 miles from Winthrop to Ross Lake with 10,000 feet of climbing. www.ride4areason.org

(June 25) ChELAN CENtuRy ChALLENgE. Three loops between 30 and 40 miles with over 2500 feet of climbing each loop. www.chelancenturychal-lenge.com

(July 1-4) Nw tANdEm RALLy. Short, medium and long rides with banquets, BBQs and more. www.nwtr.org/2011

(July 3) INLANd ROAd RACE SERIES whItwORth CRItERIum. 45-60 minutes of all out racing around a .9 mile loop on the Whitworth University campus. One-day licenses available. www.spokanerocketvelo.com/

(July 9-10) SEAttLE tO PORtLANd (StP). 10,000 cyclists will trek from Seattle to Portland—more than 2400 will do it in one day. 200 miles over one or two-days with baggage transport and limited overnight accommodations. www.cascade.org

(July 16) ONE hELENA ONE huNdREd. Metric century follows Missouri River from Cascade to Wolf Creek and back. Century also follows the river from Cascade to Ulm to Smith River and back to Cascade. www.helenabicycleclub.com

(July 23) 50 mILES At thE PASS gRAN FONdO mOuNtAIN BIkE RIdE. Choose from 10, 17, 35 or 50 mile routes. www.bicycleservice.com/4thJuly.html

(July 23) SEAttLE gRAN FONdO. Breakfast on Edmonds/Kingston Ferry. 30, 70, 100 Gran Fondo routes and Super Gran Fondo with17-mile timed climb up Hurricane Ridge. www.echelongranfondo.org

(July 24) SPOkANE SummER PARkwAyS. 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.: Route leads from Clark Playfield to Franklin Park and back. Northwest: Sunday August 14, 10:00 a.m-2:00 p.m. Audubon to Dwight Merkel/Joe Albi and back. www.summerparkways.com

(August 6) EIght LAkES LEg AChES. 30, 45 or 75 mile routes to and around some or all of the following Cheney/Spokane area lakes: Willow, Granite, Silver, Medical, Clear, Chapel, Kepple and Fish Lakes. www.lcsnw.org/events.html

(August 6) mIdNIght CENtuRy. No registration, no swag, no support but lots of dirt roads. Riders must have lights, water, food and appropriate bike. Leave The Elk at 11:59 p.m. www.midnightcentury.com

(August 6-8) COuRAgE CLASSIC. 172 miles over three days and three mountain passes. Start near North Bend, finish at Skykomish. www.multicare.org/home/courage-classic

(August 14) SPOkANE SummER PARkwAyS. 10:00 a.m-2:00 p.m.: Audubon Park to Dwight Merkel/Joe Albi and back. www.summerparkways.com

(August 14) INLANd ROAd RACE SERIES mt. SPOKANE HILL CLIMB. 10 miles climbing 3500 feet at inclines from 5 to 15 percent. Finish at the summit. One-day licenses available. www.spokan-erocketvelo.com/

(August 20) tOuR dE LENtIL. 65-mile ride winds from Pullman to Colfax to Palouse, passes Kamiak Butte, and heads back to Pullman. www.lentilfest.com/events/saturday/100k-bike-ride

(August 21) wESt PLAINS wuNdERwOmAN tRIAthALON. Quarter-mile swim, 10.2-mile ride and 3-mile run. www.emdesports.com

(August 20-26) RIdE AROuNd wAShINgtON (RAw). Willapa Bay to Leavenworth, and we’re not talking Kansas. Hurry to register as a sell-out is expected. www.cascade.org/Eand’;?R/raw

(September tBd) gROuP hEALth kIdS BIkE RACE SERIES. Free to all kids 12 and under! Locations to be determined. www.emdesports.com.

(September 11) SPOkEFESt. Choose from one-mile family ride through Riverfront Park, 9-mile Spokane Falls (think Bloomsday) route, 21-miles through Riverside State Park or, 47-mile Four Mounds route. www.spokefest.org

(September 11) hIgh PASS ChALLENgE. 7500 feet over 114 miles in the through Gifford Pinchot National Forest. Start and finish in Packwood. www.cascade.org

(September 11-16) PEOPLE’S COASt CLASSIC. 3 or 6 day options. Astoria to Newport and/Newport to Brookings. 52-73 miles a day. Gear transport, food and camping provided. Must raise $1300 for three day ride or $2500 for six day ride. www.thep-

eoplescoastclassic.org

(September 16-18) hOt SPRINg ExPRESS. Ride from Seattle to Harrison Hot Springs north of Vancouver, BC. www.redmondcyclingclub.org/HSE/HSE.html

(September 20-24) wACANId. 5-day, 340-mile ride around the International Selkirk Loop through Washington, Idaho, and British Columbia. Ride through the scenic passages along the rivers and lakes of the Selkirk Range. Start at any one of seven towns, ride all or part. Fully supported including baggage transport, rest stops, and camping with showers. www.wacanid.org

(October 1) mANAStASh mEtRIC CENtuRy. Metric half-century option. Fourteen consecutive years of no rain riding from Ellensburg to Cle Elum and back along the Yakima River. www.drier-ride.org/

(OCtOBER 3-NOVEmBER 21) INLANd Nw CyCLECROSS SERIES. Races rotate between Spokane, Pullman/Moscow, Walla Walla, Ephrata and Coeur d’Alene. www.emdesports.com/events.html.

NOT THIS YEAR?

Bmx raCing. No information available as of press time.

spoKane trailQuest spring series. No events scheduled as of yet. Check website for information. spokanetrailquest.weebly.com

tour de laCs. Gone, but not forgotten. //

Photo: Ben Tobin


tHe inland nortHWest just finished another winter that bode well for cyclists with minimal snow on the valley floors and enough in the mountains for cross-country and downhill ski-ing, providing plenty of opportunity to get and stay fit for the cycling season. To take full advan-tage of that winter induced fitness, or to give you some motivation because you didn’t take advan-tage of cross-training opportunities, here’s a list of rides to get you on the road (or off the road as the case may be!).

SOLD OUT RIDES

(June 25) RIdE AROuNd thE PIONEERS IN ONE dAy (RAtPOd) www.ratpod.com.

(July 10) VALLEy gIRL tRIAthLON. www.val-leygirltri.com.

(July 28) RIdE AROuNd mt RAINIER IN ONE dAy (RAmROd) Lottery closed march 31. If you missed the lottery, you’ve missed the ride. www.redmondcyclingclub.org/RAMROD.

(August 5-6) Ride from Seattle to Vancouver (BC) and Party (RSVP). August 5-6 sold out. Lottery for August 6-7 closed on February 23. www.cascade.org

ANNuAL CyCLINg EVENt CALENdARWhat Rides Are You Going To Do This Year? / By Bradley Bleck

Las�tPage

RECURRING RIDES

(may 18-June 29) wEdNESdAy NIght mOuNtAIN BIkE RACE SERIES. Riverside State Park, Seven-Mile Airstrip. Registration opens at 5:00; racing begins at 6:30. [email protected] or 509.879.5119

(Ongoing) SPOkANE BICyCLE CLuB. Regular rides of varying lengths and intensity. Non-members and new members welcome. www.spokanebicy-cleclub.org.

(First Sundays) ELk dRug dROPOutS VINtAgE BIkE RIdES. Meet at Elk Drug in Browne’s Addition, pedal to David’s Pizza and back. 3:00 p.m. No website.

(most tuesdays and Saturdays) SPOkANE BOmB (Believers On mountain Bikes). Mountain bike rides most Tuesdays and Saturdays beginning in April. Locations vary. www.spokanebomb.com

(monthly) FBC SPOkANE FuLL mOON FIASCO. Check website for meeting place of the month and your calendar for the date. fbcspokane.blogspot.com/

EVENTS, RIDES, & RACES

(April 2-3 and Summer tuesdays) BAddLANdS CyCLINg CLuB. There’s a road race, time trial, cir-cuit race or criterium nearly every Tuesday through August beginning with Frozen Flatlands on April 2-3. One-day licenses available. www.baddlands.org

(April 3) PEdALS tO PEOPLE Free shop tune-ups..

(April 9) RONdE VAN PALOuSE ROAd RACE. 23-mile circuit near Spangle, paved and dirt roads. Puncture resistant tires suggested. Race 48-71 miles depending upon category. One-day licenses avail-able. www.spokanerocketvelo.com/

(April 9-10) BEEZLEy BuRN mOuNtAIN BIkE FEStIVAL. Short track and cross-country racing. Free Vicious Cycle BBQ! Tent camping. www.beez-leyburn.com

(April 15-17 ) tOuR OF wALLA wALLA. Four stage road race, criterium and time trial. USCF 2011 license required to register. www.tofww.org

(April 21-24) NORthwESt CRANk. Join the Seattle International Randonneurs for five days of training around Wenatchee. Each day features sev-eral rides. www.northwestcrank.com

(may) BIkE tO wORk mONth, wEEk & dAy. BTW Week starts Riverfront Park Kickoff Breakfast, May 16 at 7:00 a.m. Energizer Stations on May 18. Wrap-up celebration on May 20. Commute chal-lenge lasts all month. www.spokanebikes.org

(may 7 and July 16) INLANd ROAd RACE SERIES LIBERty ROAd RACES. Two 29-mile loops through the Palouse in the Spangle area. One day licenses available. www.spokanerocketvelo.com

(may 14-15) SCENIC tOuR OF thE kOOtENAI RIVER (StOkR). Registration closed February 28, but check it out. You might get lucky. www.libbymt.com/events/stokr.htm.

(may 15) LILAC CENtuRy SuRPRISE. Five routes from 15 to 100 miles with full support. Century winds through Spokane’s West Plains and along the Spokane River and Lake Spokane. 5k run option for triathlon training. www.northdivision.com/Lilac%20Century_Home.html

(may 18) RIdE OF SILENCE memorial ride to commemorate cyclists who have died in traffic. Check website for location. 7 p.m. www.rideofsi-lence.org

(may 21) INLANd EmPIRE CENtuRy. Choose from 25 easy miles to routes of 50, 75 or 100 chal-lenging miles through the lower Yakima/Columbia River Valley. www.inlandempirecentury.org

(may 21-22) tOuR OF thE SwAN RIVER VALLEy (tOSRV) wESt. A two-day tour through spectacu-lar western Montana scenery. Choose from the 110-mile a day Classic or 85-mile a day Potomac routes. Five meals provided in addition to food stops. www.missoulabike.org.

(may 22) muNChEN hAuS BIkE RIdE. Three routes through the Wenatchee National Forest cover-ing 50, 70 or 100 miles. munchenhausbikeride.com/

(may 22) INLANd ROAd RACE SERIES RIVERBENd CRItERIum. Race around Post Falls for 45 or 60 of the most punishing minutes you’ll ever experience on a bike. One day licenses available. www.spokanerocketvelo.com

(may 27-30) CENtuRy RIdE OF thE CENtuRIES. Three days of supported riding and meals with options each day through Eastern Oregon near Pendleton. Routes range from 25-100 miles. www.cyclependleton.com

(may 28-29) 24-hOuR NORBA Nw 24-hOuR ChAmPIONShIPS. Spend Memorial Day weekend riding your mountain bike around and around Riverside State Park for 24 hours. Go solo or form a team. www.roundandround.com.

(may 28) EAStERN wAShINgtON SENIOR gAmES For men and women 50 years and older. 2 time trials, road race and criterium. http://wwymca.org/events/eastern-washington-senior-games

CHRIS GUGLIELMO DOES A TRACK STAND AT MARCH FBC RIDE (SEE RECURRING RIDES). PHOTO SHANE FOLDEN

CONTINUED ON PAGE 29

Load up on carbs before the big race!

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For a complete list of events and information, contact us:

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04 Ou Apr11.indd 1 3/9/2011 10:49:47 AM

out there monthly april 2011

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