Kevin Brady at Ignite Yankton from Ignite SD on Vimeo.
Since our recent Warm Showers hosting, I've had something that keeps popping into my thoughts so I need to get it out here: We South Dakotans need to pool together to build an network of bike maps. I've tried to accomplish this to a degree by starting a second blog named "South Dakota By Bike" and begged some of you to pitch in and help me with some local routes. Your enthusiasm for my little project, for lack of a better term, sucks.
More than just loop rides, I'd really like to get are various "how to best get across state" maps. I was helping our Warm Showers guests try to figure out a way to cross the state and once I hit near Winner, I was at a loss. I actually ended up sending them down into Nebraska because I know those roads better from years of BRAN. As an advocate of bicycling in South Dakota that makes me a little sick to my stomach. I want to show off MY state, but I don't know the roads West River very well.
So, my plea is to get some help with the best routes to get all the way across the state East to West, and even some South to North routes. I know it's not possible in all cases, but I'd love to see the nice quiet back country roads as well. So, in no particular order, I'd like:
* East to West routes (maybe a bottom, middle, and top of the state)
* South to North routes (maybe five - six routes)
* A list of places to stay in various towns along the routes, including camping, hotels, and potential host families for a touring cyclist.
* A list of any historical facts along each of the routes that people could potentially visit as a break from biking.
My long term goal would be the creation of all these routes and facts in a foldable map similar to any other state map to be given out at to all interested bicyclists. I think I may have to approach the Department of Tourism and get the South Dakota Bicycle Coalition on board with this.
USD's newspaper, The Volante, ran an article on traffic rules being important for cyclists. I completely agree, even though I'm guilty of blowing stop signs when nobody is around.
I did find it funny that the Vermillion PD Officer interviewed doesn't know the law on DUI's on bicycles. He was quoted with the following:
"As a matter of fact, you can get pulled over for speeding on a bicycle," he said. "Also, if you ride while you're intoxicated and start impeding traffic, you can actually be arrested for a DUI."
I was never a fan of the "No-DUI-on-bicycle" law going into effect, but it beat the alternative they were trying to pass (striking bicycles as "vehicles" altogether).
As far as getting pulled over for speeding...VPD has a short memory as to what happened the last time they tried to catch me!!!!
This is a follow-up to the previous post/rant about Bicycling Magazine not wanting to respond to me about plans about a full digital edition. Today, I received the following from their online editor:
Hi Kevin.
I think we have been in touch before but Im not sure so I'll start from scratch. Thinking and Going Green is very important to us here at Rodale and especially at Bicycling, a mode of transportation and recreation that is green in every sense of the word.
Currently, our magazine is not delivered electronically and I am still unsure when that is in the works. With the push of media towards the digital realm, something tells me sooner than later. However, we do republish almost all of our magazine content on our website Bicycling.com. Maybe reading our content on the web would be a suitable alternative in the mean time.
Please keep in touch and thank you again for the suggestions and feedback.
David
While I'm still not sure how soon it will potentially happen, it was nice to receive an email from not-just-somebody at Rodale, but the online editor. I was pretty impressed that he took the time to email me back. When I responded and thanked him for his time, he emailed yet again saying that he appreciates all feedback, especially well articulated email. Thus proving he probably never reads my blog!
