Just a few days ago the ACA announced their 2010 Racing Calendar exposing the 217 racing days season with the first event kicking off on March 6th. Are you ready? While 217 days is a long time procrastination isn't going to get you across the line first, you need to start training today. But what does training mean to you? Have you ever had a training plan? Have you ever had a coach? Listen up if you answered no to either of those. First off, worst case you need a training plan, something that allows you to build up slowly and have peaks for certain races and focus on your weaknesses. If you can swing it I HIGHLY recommend getting a coach! "But coaches are only for pros" you say, wrong, coaches are for people who are passionate about their goals and that can be anyone from a cat 1 to a "Joe" who is building up to their first bike tour.

Spring is coming and that means the wind and the big group rides. The majority of the group rides out there are ethical but there are a few that do more than cross the line. Bicycle Colorado is doing their part to educate riders and motorist on the law... with the law as Scott Christoher rides with the Colorado State Patrol. In addition to riders they are also looking for motorist who create dangerous situations for cyclist.

Scott Christopher, Bicycle Colorado outreach manager, recently joined Master Trooper Shannon Schwanke for a day patrolling Colorado roads. Trooper Schwanke said that he does stop bicyclists, usually to offer education on obeying traffic laws.

"I focus on unsafe situations that could put the bicyclist at risk," said Schwanke. Most enforcement during the ride-along involved speeding by motorists and expired vehicle registrations. Bicyclists observed during the day were following the rules of the road.

Schwanke has two key messages for the bicycle community: 1) Bicyclists can be ticketed for traffic violations; 2) The best reaction to aggressive motorists is to report the license plate number to the Aggressive Driver Hotline (dial *CSP on your cell phone for Colorado State Patrol).

After nearly 5 years of work sculptor Kimmerjae Macarus will most likely have their creation which is a celebration of the Red Zinger/Coors Classic series constructed in North Boulder Park. The sculpture symbolizes the greatness the Red Zinger/Coors Classic was and how much it not only really put Boulder Colorado in the spot light but also really was a catalyst for cycling in North America. This was the place where Davis Phinney watched the race at age 15 and then won that race 7 years later. North Boulder Park was always the final stage in the classic race except once. For more details on how great this race really was then do a simple google race or watch the video way below. Learn more about North Boulder Park should get the bike monument

Community Cycles is sending out a thanks and a request to all for the success of the recent Great Kids Bike Giveaway and a request for filling in the gaps from the donations received from the bike give away. They are a 501c so your donations are tax deductible!

Donating to Community Cycles

Thanks to many many volunteer and staff hours, we gave away almost 300 bikes last week. It was a blast of an event. Many families got bikes, and many kids had a great holiday gift waiting for them as a result.

We had an original goal of a suggested donation of $20 per bike, with no one being turned away for lack of funds. In the end, we raised about $3 per bike.

If you're counting bikes given away, it was a huge success. If you're counting money raised from the event, we're a little short of our goal.

If you are in a position to donate something to help us offset the cost of getting these bikes ready with new tires, new parts, and lots of love, please donate today. You can donate directly on our website, or just make a check out to Community Cycles and drop it in the mail.

If you still have end-of-year donations to make, please consider helping Community Cycles and our work.

You can see a video about the giveaway, and some of the bikes and kids in action here from a Channel 4 news story here:

http://cbs4denver.com/local/community.cycles.bicycles.2.1383109.html

Thank you, and Happy New Year!

Community Cycles