The upcoming Bend Transportation Bond in May is important to the future of biking in Bend. We'll keep you informed starting with:

https://www.bendbikes.org/backstory-to-the-upcoming-may-19th-transportation-bond-request/

For most members this post is irrelevant. Last night the Board decided to cancel our $90 a year PO Box that mainly collected junk mail.  In the past year about 4 members joined or renewed by mailing a check vs the online credit card payment method.  To make matters worse for the mail picker-uppers, recently the post office hours for using the PO Box went from 24 hours-7 days a week, to a Monday through Friday 9-5 system.  

As an all volunteer organization, we have always preferred credit card payment. We will still accept checks, but they will need to be hand delivered to me. Thanks for your understanding.  

Balance does not remain constant with age. For a variety of reasons (OTC drugs, eyesight, cognitive losses, arthritis, etc, etc) as we age we lose our sense of balance. And as we already know, we lose our sense of hearing. What you say? Hearing I say.  Why do I bring these annoying facts up? 

Your safety while riding in a group depends on your motor functions. Here is a test. As you ride your bike down the street, turn around and look behind you, like you would if you heard a car. Are you still in the bike lane or did you just wander into traffic? I bet you wandered.  And if there was someone riding to your left they probably needed to swerve into traffic to avoid your swerve. And that is why you’ll often see two riders, riding abreast, separated by 6 feet! Not good. 

The issue of balance is compounded by hearing loss. Without good hearing, you will not sense the car behind you. So the car is near you, you turn to see, you swerve, your riding partner swerves, and we have a mess. I see this happen way to often.

Part of the problem has to do with the dynamics of time. We don’t view ourselves as creatures who change. The world changes, but not us. You might still think you have the balance and hearing that you did just 5 years ago.  Do the swerve test.

What can you do? The most immediate solution is to do is buy a mirror so you don’t lose your balance when looking behind you. Most people like the nickel sized mirrors that fit on sunglass frames. But if you are far-sighted you’ll probably need a different type of mirror. Any mirror is likely to help.

The long range goal is to improve your balance. I provide two articles that describe the balance issue and suggest plausible improvements. You’ll read that cycling helps your balance a bunch.

https://www.berkeleywellness.com/fitness/injury-prevention/article/keeping-your-balance-you-age

http://theconversation.com/explainer-why-does-our-balance-get-worse-as-we-grow-older-48197

Since we are a group riding club, we don’t want swerving riders, we don’t want riders separated by the width of a lane, and we don’t want car-oblivious riders. If you don’t stay in your lane when you look behind you, consider purchasing a mirror. Thanks from me and your riding buddies. 

Club members can load route files to their Garmins from the RidewithGPS.com site. There are two ways to do this. One is with a wired connection as laid out here: https://ridewithgps.com/help/export-routes-to-garmin-device

The other way is with the Garmin Connect IQ app which will allow you to wirelessly sync routes. Here is the help page on this: https://ridewithgps.com/help/iq/

To get a club route to sync with the Garmin Connect IQ app, you will first need to Pin the route to your account. Pinning can be done from the app or website. On the app while viewing a route, tap the three dots in the upper right and select Pin (see screenshot: https://i.imgur.com/9ujOlNn.png). On the RWGPS website while viewing a route, click Pin in the upper right (see screenshot: https://i.imgur.com/n9hyYAx.png).

You can also sync recorded rides from Garmin to Ride with GPS. Follow the steps as laid out here: https://ridewithgps.com/help/automatic-sync-with-garmin-connect

__________________________

From WebCyclery Workshop:

Loading COW Routes onto your Garmin

Needed:

• Garmin Device - Edge 1000, 1030, 820, 830, 520, 530, etc

• A computer or phone

• Ride with GPS Account (Ride with GPS App helps too)

• Garmin Connect App on your phone

• Wired Connection to your Garmin Device
  OR

• Ride With GPS Connect IQ App

Ride with GPS account

• Visit https://ridewithgps.com/

• Create a free account

• Download the app from the App Store or Google Play

Get the Garmin Connect App on your Phone

• Download the app from the App Store or Google Play

• Create a free account

• Pair your Garmin Device with your phone

• Use the Garmin Connect iQ app store within the Garmin Connect app to download and install the Ride with GPS CIQ app on your device.  https://ridewithgps.com/help/iq/

Wired Connection

• Go to COWS Calendar

• Find the ride you want

• Click ‘LINK’  this opens Ride With GPS

• Click the little 3 dots next to ‘SEND TO DEVICE’  Don’t select - SEND TO iPHONE (or Android) - these require paid account

• Choose TCX and download the file

• Plug Garmin edge unit into computer

• Open Garmin edge unit in browser and choose file labeled “Garmin”

• Select: NewFiles

• Downloads: Drag and drop TCX file

• Confirm file is loaded into folder

• Safely remove Garmin unit from computer

Using Ride With GPS Connect IQ App

• Go to COWS Calendar

• Find the ride you want

• Click ‘LINK’  this opens Ride With GPS

• Click PIN in the top left corner

• On the Garmin Device, Go to the IQ app ---> Ride with GPS

• Click ‘Pinned Routes’

• Click on the route you pinned

• Click Download

• Now it shows up in ‘Courses’ on Main Menu

Advocacy

Have you experienced a passing vehicle quickly accelerating and seemingly intentionally spewing exhaust on you? This encounter, known as “rolling coal,” has been reported on a number of COW rides. We would like to be informed of such incidents to determine their frequency and severity. If you believe you have been a victim of such behavior, please contact Board member Kevin Briggs.

 

COW’s Thursday Night TT:  Week 3- June 6, 2019

Skyliners brought out the elements last night for four very tough competitors!!

Temperatures in the 40’s and a headwind on the Ascend. Shelby Jones was quoted upon completion “Was it snowing up top?” Despite the brutal weather Ken Brinich knocked off 35 seconds from his previous best for a time of 36:18.  

Overall winner Colin DuPlantis set PR’s in the Ascend and Descend (according to Strava), and as a result has the the fastest time of the season for our Thursday Night Time Trial of 32:01. Great effort everyone! See you at the next one on June 20th!  I am putting in for temps in the 70’s and a tailwind for both the Ascend and Descend :)

Last night’s results

Name	Overall Time
DuPlantis, Colin	0:32:01
Staiger, Brian	0:33:51
Brinich, Ken	0:36:18
Jones, Shelby	0:41:57

Overall Best times

Name	Best time
DuPlantis, Colin	0:32:01
Sailors, David	0:33:33
Staiger, Brian	0:33:51
Wolfe, Patti	0:34:54
Staiger, Therese	0:35:19
Brinich, Ken	0:36:18
Robbins, Ken	0:36:29
Shaeffer, John	0:37:13
Jones, Shelby	0:39:59

COW’s Thursday Night TT:  Week 2- May 23, 2019

Another very pleasant Thursday evening at Skyliners.  Newcomer Shelby Jones was our sole competitor (I brought my bike up early to ride, only to have left my helmet and shoes at home!!).  Shelby recently moved to Bend originally from North Carolina and most recently Chicago. Welcome Shelby and great effort tonight!! Come join us on our next TT on June 6th. - Brian Staiger (Organizer)

Overall Place	Name	Overall Time
1	Jones, Shelby	0:39:59

COW’s Thursday Night TT:  Week 1

Brilliant sunshine, mid 60’s with occasional tailwinds on the ascent was the setting for the first COW’s TT.  As newcomer John Schaeffer stated, “this is a great test to mark our progress.”

Kudos to all riders many of which have never participated in a TT, including our TT KOM of the evening David Sailors!  It was evident that everything was left out on the course as each rider flew across the finish line! Many riders then casually rode down to town to meet at Good Life for $4.00 pints!  How sweet our Bend Life is! Come join us on our next TT on May 23rd. - Brian Staiger (Organizer)

Overall Place	Name	Overall Time
1	Sailors, David	0:33:33
2	Wolfe, Patti	0:34:54
3	Staiger, Therese	0:35:19
4	Robbins, Ken	0:36:29
5	Brinich, Ken	0:36:53
6	Shaeffer, John	0:37:13

We are starting a contest to get more photos and more people in COW jerseys.  "Where's Your COWs Jersey Been?" Submit a photo wearing a COW jersey in a rad location. Contest ends the week before the 2019 Holiday Party.

It was a great KO meeting. Thanks all that were able to attend. If you want to see the presentation click on this link: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1KmY9U0mcuz7slmX-8opEJbNM5h7-nONjycUYplS4eTU/edit?usp=sharing

Order your Cow logo jerseys and shorts before May 10 to ensure your size is available. New this year are non-logo socks, arm and leg warmers, jackets, and more at really good prices. https://www.peak1bikestore.com/central-oregon-wheelers/ 

Logo orders to arrive around June 25.