Cyclocross in Baltimore
Don't miss two exciting opportunities to watch full-throttle cyclocross action right in Baltimore!Saturday September 17 is the 2005 Gwynns Falls Trail Cyclocross (<a href="http://wheelmen.virtualave.net/GwynnsFalls/index.html">http://wheelmen.virtualave.net/GwynnsFalls/index.html</a>;)
On Sunday Septmebr 25 is the Charm City Cross event in beautiful Druid Hill Park!
(<a href="http://www.bbcracing.org/Charm%20City%20Cross.pdf">http://www.bbcracing.org/Charm%20City%20Cross.pdf</a>;)
Come support bike racing in Baltimore!
Carroll County Comprehensive Plan
Pathways Plan Web Site Is Up & Running
Dieters Must Exercise!
<img width="47" height="70" align="left" src="http://www.baltimorespokes.org/images/articles/20050901132010832_1.gif" alt="">Article #1 in the link below in the current issue of Harvard Medical School's Healtbeat provides a succinct report of why dieters, particularly women, must also exercise. Also interesting is the quantitative data about burning calories in exercise, particularly the 2,000 calories / week maximum.
America Keeps Putting on the Pounds
<img width="128" height="120" align="left" src="http://www.baltimorespokes.org/images/articles/20050831203800265_1.gif" alt="">In the past year, the adult obesity rate rose in 48 of America's states, and nationally from 23.7% to 24.5%, Trust for America's Health found. Currently, about 119 million, or 64.5%, of U.S. adults are either overweight or obese. According to projections, 73% of US adults could be overweight or obese by 2008, Trust for America's Health warned. In turn, this would mean many more people with obesity-related illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease, which could cost the nation billions of dollars. 
Bicycle riding, for fun, fitness and transportation, continues to be a great way to battle obesity, and the recent funding given to bicycling in the transportation bill will help spread the word to more potential cyclists during the next five years.
The cost of cars
Autos are the single largest source of U.S. air pollution. Short trips are up to three times
more polluting per mile than long trips. When bicycling is substituted for short auto
trips, 3.6 pounds of pollutants per mile are not emitted into the atmosphere. More
bicycle use means less benzene, cyanide, lead, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, CFCs,
sulfates, and ozone in the air. In addition, the bicycle season matches the harmful
ground-level ozone season. By biking, you contribute to pollution prevention when it is
most needed.
If the real taxpayer subsidy of autos were reflected in fuel taxes, a gallon of gasoline might cost as much as $9.00. That's because other taxes cover the costs of road building, maintenance, parking space, police services and losses from accidents, pollution and congestion. If more commuters bicycled, these costs would go down. All taxpayers, businesses and citizens would save money!
The Maryland Wine Festival Bike Tour
To raise money to benefit children with asthma through educational programs.
SUV versus bike, a tale of two crimes in one Baltimore day
"There's a man assaulting another man on the corner of Saint Paul and Madison," I told the 911 operator on the line. Two bicyclists had pulled up in front of Red Emma's coffeehouse followed by a drunk black man in a large SUV. As I watched, he threw one of their helmets into the street and kicked a bike lying on the sidewalk. Read more: <a href="http://epistolary.org/5720.html">http://epistolary.org/5720.html</a>;Experts: Bikes help Oregon check obesity
Oregon is the only state in the U.S. to not increase rate of obesity
NIH sets national example of discouraging biking to work
I am truly shocked by the news that the National Institute of Health one of the areas best examples of promoting biking to work as well as being one of this nations authorities on health issues has done a 180 degree turn and has set forth policies that not only discourage cycling to work but they also endanger the safety of those who do choose to ride their bike to work against these new obstacles and delays. And it seems that their primary motivation for this is to make it even easier for those poor people who have to pollute the environment and live an inactive lifestyle not to be inconvenienced in the slightest by health nuts. This is so wrong! I am also appalled by