When I attended the Silicon Valley Bicycle Summit the other week, I met local cycling legend Ray Hosler. He and I both were interested in what California Bicycle Coalition Director David Snyder said when somebody asked why CalBike doesn’t support an “Idaho Stop” law for California. You can read what Snyder had to say in Ray’s post on the topic here, where I also learned that I apparently coined the term “Idaho Stop” in 2008.

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While searching for photos and anecdotes of Elmore Leonard on a bicycle, I happened on the blog of Ross Bentley-Davies, a British novelist who writes crime thrillers and westerns. He’s also the type of avid cyclist who likes long rides in the countryside.

Really long, all-night rides of up to 600 km.

Writing a novel is probably something like a really long bike ride. Davies assures that 600 km are extremely painful, and I believe him. I’ve never gone more than 120 miles (200 km) in a go, and I’ve never written a novel. Maybe there’s a connection.

After I initially found Bentley-Davies blog, I closed the browser window and tried to search for it again when I ran across this delightful project. When she turned 40 years old last year, poet Maya Stein hopped on her bike for a 40 day, 1200 mile bike ride from Amherst, Massachusetts to Milwaukee, Wisconsin and pulling a typewriter behind her. Along the way, she stopped in communities, set up a mobile typing booth, and invited people to contribute their words to a growing poem. How cool is that?

As far as I can tell, there are no photos of Mr Elmore Leonard riding a bicycle. RIP.

Sorry for the sparse blogging and bicycle news updates lately, but nice weather means time away from the computer and lots of time outdoors with my family.

Bike the Bay: Teens cycle from Santa Cruz to Monterey and back

Say hello to Pedro, age 14. This Harbor High School freshman rode his Fuji track bike 50 miles last Saturday to spend the weekend in Monterey with a dozen other Santa Cruz teens and Green Ways To School. Green Ways works to encourage students to bike, walk or take the bus to school.

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24 year old Ezra began blogging a few months ago about his bike commute adventures in New Jersey. I like his friendliness and enthusiasm. Go check him out at NYMBlog. You can follow him at all of the usual social media sites, too.

Watch for Yet Another Book Giveaway later today!

Here’s another edition of link love to recognize those blogs that have used my Creative Commons licensed photos.

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