Applications

I called the printer and the applications are scheduled to be printed at the end of this week. That doesn't mean that they will be mailed right away. The applications have to be printed, then folded (another machine), then tabbed (another machine), then stamped (yet another machine), and then mailed. The different machines could be backed up. Look at it as a plane flight with multiple connections and you get the idea. But it does look like the applications could be mailed before the 18th rather than after. Once again, I'll post the exact date they are mailed when it happens so you'll know. I have to submit my mailing list to them by the end of the week. I hope you are on it already. We'll mail out apps to any stragglers, but they will be behind.

The next PALM meeting will be Jan 18th. Staff come from all parts of the state. They'll get some applications to distribute to bike shops, bike clubs, friends, and acquaintances in their area. This is another way to get an application, but it is more hit and miss. I'll learn more about this year's sites that I can share. One thing though: with the populations of the sites under 3000, there may not be any microbreweries. We are supposed to go thru Frankemuth though.

As you know, every day I feed the birds. I am trying to feed the cardinals, the only spot of color in the winter, but to do this I end up feeding pidgeons and squirrels (2 or 3 of them) too. I scatter the seed so that cardinals, juncos, chickidees, and sparrows have a chance. I came out one morning this week and there were two black cats out there too. When I looked around, I noticed that there lots of nice places for cats to hide, waiting. Just who am I feeding anyway?

The New Year

It's hard to realize at winter solstice that we won't be on PALM until summer solstice. But at least the days are getting longer and we are in the same calendar year as the next PALM. And, given the weather that we've had the last 2 weeks, we have nothing more to fear about winter: we can get more, but we can't get worse. The two things that wear on me in winter is the lack of daylight and the lack of color. Winter is a black and white movie. That's why I value cardinals and put out bird seed for them every day (even though the squirrels get most of it). Their red color seems like an act of rebellion.

I rode the First Dozen in Dearborn today. I was supposed to be the Ride Captain for the Ann Arbor bike club. There were about 125 bundled riders (but none from the Ann Arbor bike club: go figure). It's hard to believe how cold 26 degrees can be. I put on two sets of gloves and two pairs of wool socks but my hands and feet were still cold. My wife stayed home and she had a point. But it was good to see people biking: I know the pedestrians we passed appreciated us. They'll have stories to tell.

I was putting together some information on this year's sites for the website and I noticed that every place we stay this year has less than 3,000 people in it as of the 2000 census. Grant had 880 people in it in 2000. This might be a good year to consider buying the meals on PALM. Can you imagine 700 people looking for breakfast and dinner in a town of 880? Talk about locusts. Remember: to get on PALM you just have to pay the registration ($110 for riders 18 and older, $65 for riders 11 thru 17, and $55 for riders 10 and under). You have up to May 15 to add/change meals and bus rides.

Happy Holidays

Hope everyone had a happy holiday. I got to catch up with lots of my family and friends. Hasn't the weather been bizarre the last week, even by Michigan standards? On the Friday before Christmas we get 10 inches of snow. Then Sunday it goes down to 3 degrees with a wicked wind. More snow on Tuesday, followed by lots of rain on Christmas Eve. The Saturday after Christmas it goes up t0 56 degrees, all the snow melts and we have flood warnings. And winter is just starting. How can January top this?

The good news is that the part that was backordered for my mountain bike came in and I have it back, in time for the 1st Dozen ride on January 1. I checked the weather: no snow, but 26 degrees. I tried to ride one cold 1st Dozen using long fingered bike gloves. Bad mistake. My hands froze. It was painful. Now I use the same thinsulate winter gloves that I usually wear outside. It's fun to see what everyone wears. Generally riders wear so many clothes that if they fall, they can roll to the finish. I have friends who used to live in the condos by the start. The first year that they were there, they watched several hundred people unload bikes New Year's Day and wanted to know what was happening. And then the mayor of Dearborn showed up and everyone started to bike to the "Ride of the Valkyries". It made quite an impression.

I'm keeping the PALM mailing list. There are over 3100 people on it so far and I'm still adding new names. It's not too late to get on it. Just email us your home address and we'll send you a PALM application by 1st class mail. It's the quickest way to get a PALM application since the application won't be on the PALM website until a week after the applications are mailed.

Into the winter

We had a long, long fall this year. We didn't get a blast of cold weather to warn us of what was coming and then Indian Summer so that we could be grateful for what we had. Instead we got all the warm weather at once (it was in the 70's all thru October well into November) and then all of the cold. I put off harvesting all my greens until the start of December. I pulled the plants out of the ground on the last day before they would have been frozen there until spring. I did cook and freeze some so that I can have a little summer in January.

I try to ride my bike every month of the year. November was not a problem and since the 1st Dozen in Dearborn is on January 1, January looks OK. December however... I run outside to stay in shape. Yesterday I ran when it was 19 degrees and I froze. It wasn't even windy. I'm weak. I'm usually good until around 5. Of course a lot of clothes are involved.

My point is that now that it is really winter you have probably forgotten all about spring and summer. This is a mistake. The PALM application comes in the mail to you in the 3rd week of January, before the Super Bowl even. You may not believe it. You may put it aside. Be strong. Have faith. Read that application. You will be riding your bike again. Sign up now. A little secret - all you need to do is send in enough to cover the registration to reserve a spot on PALM. You can send in the money to cover meals and buses (if you want them) later. (I shouldn't tell you this since I work registration and it's more work, but these trying times. We all need help.) Get out the sun screen and fill out that application!

How to get on PALM

Ellie Knesper, the person who answers all the PALM email and phone calls, has been getting questions about PALM applications almost every day. I'm going to tell you how to get on PALM. Don't look for the application on the PALM web site. I'm in charge of the web site and I don't put the application on the site right away. I do it a week or so after the applications are mailed out. Why? Because a lot of our riders, especially ones who have done PALM a lot, are older and have not made friends with the Web. I want to give them a fair chance.

What can you do? The way to get on PALM is to get on our mailing list. Then you will be mailed a PALM application by 1st class mail. (Why 1st class? Because then everybody gets the application at the same time, within a day or 2. Then everyone has the same chance.) Don't worry about me selling your email address to Canadian pharmceutical companies. This is a low tech operation. Just look at our web site. I'm one of those older PALM riders who have done PALM a lot. Email us your home address and we'll put you on the mailing list. I'll also email you when the ride is getting close to filling up.

I am proofing the application now. It should be mailed out sometime in the week of January 18. I'll post the exact date of the mailing on the web site and here. If you are on the mailing list (and all past PALM riders are on the mailing list) and you haven't received your application by Jamuary 25, email us right away and I'll email you one.

Last year we mailed out the applications on January 25 and the ride was filled by February 19 (my sister's birthday). This year with the uncertain economy, who knows. But we have filled up early the last three years and, at $110 with $75 more for 2 meals a day, PALM is an awful cheap vacation.

Cycling Safety

It’s a little over four weeks until we are all making our final preparations to leave for PALM.

As you train for PALM, please keep the following in mind:

Helmets - Always wear your helmet when on your bike, even in your driveway. Your helmet should sit straight on your head.

Always ride on the right and as far to the right as “practical”

Ride no more than two abreast and only single file in traffic.

Hand signals - Left turn, left hand straight out. Right turn, left arm bent at the elbow pointing up or right arm straight out. Stopping, left arm bent at the elbow pointing down.

Be sure to actually stop at stop signs and lights!

Riding with other riders - Stay to the right, but pass only on the left. Say “Passing on your left” when passing other riders. Ride predictably.

Making a left turn - First, check that it is clear behind, signal and move to left side of lane. Signal again, check for traffic, and complete the turn. If on a multi-lane road, move across each lane in steps.

Crossing Rail Road tracks - Always cross the tracks at a right angle and make sure the bike is perfectly upright and not leaned over when crossing. If there is any doubt, get off and walk your bike across.

Finally, ensure your bike is in good repair.

Contact me if you have any questions about cycling safety, equipment or training.

More Spring, More Riding

We are beginning to be able to ride our mid week bike ride consistently now. SE Michigan is flat, but last Wednesday the wind was blowing so hard that we were pedaling up hill on the flats. I'm making progress: I was able to ride 10 miles before my seat hurt. We still haven't riden more than 25 miles and the restrooms on Belle Isle are still not open. I ride by a large community garden on Cochrane just North of Tiger Stadium. It was all tilled up and ready for planting. The rows had already been marked with string.

The Garden Resource Program is underway. We went to a potluck dinner at the 4H Center in Detroit on McClellan south of Gratiot. You know when you are on a street named after a Civil War general that you are on an old street. There were fresh graduates from the Urban Roots program (a nine week program that teaches you all things gardening and community organizing), members of the Detroit Agricultural Network, and humble family gardeners (like me) from all all over the city there, all people with hopes and plans for the summer. I'm planning on putting in a raised bed behind my garage. It has sun, but it also has gravel. I'm supposed to be getting over 100 plants. They got to go somewhere. I know spring is here because I spotted my first neighborhood rabbit. For a gardener, this is both good and bad.