Bike Sleuth

With all of the festivities surrounding July 4, many of us had forgotten that the best known bicycle race in the world is happening right now. Yes, Le Tour de France 2008 has gotten underway, and this grueling race has already dashed the hopes of some riders in very first stage while other riders have accomplished their greatest achievement. Spain’s Alejandro Valverde of the Caisse D’Epargne team did what he set out to do, which is to win at least one stage and wear the coveted yellow jersey. He managed to do this in the opening stage, which means that he will be one rider that you’ll want to pay particular attention to. However, this only marks the beginning of the 21 stage event that runs through July 27 and covers over 3,500 kilometers that will undoubtedly have a dramatic finish in Paris. You can watch live daily coverage of each Tour stage on Versus TV from 8:30am to 11:30am EDT. If you don’t have the cable channel Versus, you’ll be glad to know that you can watch live streaming of every stage online as well access race coverage 24 hours a day on Versus.com. Now that you’ve gotten your long weekend celebration over, you can sit back for the rest of the month and enjoy the world’s most exciting bike race.

For many countries around the world bicycles are part of everyday life and still used as a primary mode of transportation, but in the United States bicycles have taken a back seat to the car with bicycles being reserved mainly as a toy for recreational activity. Fortunately the benefits of cycling are being advocated in the US by the League of American Bicyclists that designates May as National Bike Month with May 12 marking the start of Bike To Work Week that runs through May 16, which is Bike To Work Day. Now that more and more people are feeling squeezed by the ever increasing cost of gasoline, the bicycle is taking on a more important and deserved role in the everyday lives of Americans. With the escalating gas prices, more and more Americans are opting for a less expensive and more environmentally sound mode of transportation, and they are finding it in the trusty bicycle. It makes sense to ride your bike for commuting to work or school as you’ll get a healthy dose of exercise as well as save money while going from place to place without polluting the environment. You don’t have to be a conservationist to appreciate the environmentally friendly aspects of a good bike ride on any day of the week, but with gas prices rising it’s easier to make everyday Bike To Work Day. Don’t wait for National Bike Month to ride your bike daily, because it’s a healthy activity for both you and your environment. If you want more information on promoting bicycling for fun, fitness and transportation just visit the League of American Bicyclists and help advocate and educate for a more bicycle-friendly America. For those who are in need of a new bicycle to participate in biking activities, then visit Randall Scott Cycle Company, Jenson USA or Cambria Bicycle Outfitter for quality bicycles and accessories in every price range and make this the most successful National Bike Month ever.

We all ride bikes for different reasons, whether it’s just for fun, getting from point A to point B, maybe for some much needed exercise, or even possibly for the glory of winning a race, but there are others who ride for a worthy cause. Believe it or not, you can make a difference by riding your bicycle to help a charity raise awareness with their cause and at the same time raising money, and the BP MS150 is just one example. If you’re not familiar with the BP MS150, it’s an annual bike ride from Houston to Austin, which runs about 180 miles in all and takes place over the course of the weekend of April 12-13 that raises funds to help people living with the debilitating disease, Multiple Sclerosis.

Joe Khalaf of Houston, Texas is one of those that is riding in the BP MS150, and he is looking forward to sharing the open road with about 12,999 other biking enthusiasts who want to help rid the world of this disease. This will be the first time Joe has participated in this annual bike ride, and we have been told that he’s been training quite hard specifically for this long ride to Austin. As we are always interested in bikes, we thought that it was great that Joe informed us of the bike he will be riding, which is a 2007 Specialized Roubaix Elite.

If you cannot actively participate in the actual ride, you can still help Joe and others raise money and awareness by donating to this worthy cause. Helping out is easy by making a donation on the official MS150 website and Sponsor Joe in his ride to Austin. Every little bit counts, so if you have a few dollars to spare, all donations would be greatly appreciated. Also, your donations are fully tax deductible, which is always a plus come tax time. If you know of anyone that might be able to help out, please let them know about the BP MS150. We are looking forward to a follow up of the ride with pictures, and hopefully some of you can join in the ride next year. We wish Joe, and all of the other riders participating in this year’s BP MS150, the best of luck with great weather and hope they have a pleasant ride.