New Beginner Friendly Group Ride: Saturday Mornings at Trek Bicycle Store of Omaha

There's a new beginner friendly group ride in town starting this summer.  Here's a recent Facebook post from Trek Bicycle Store of Omaha:

Join us for the Saturday Coffee ride. Want to go on a leisurely morning coffee ride without having to worry about getting dropped off the pack and/or run over by a car? We will leave the midtown shop at 8:00am and head down the trail to shop off the trail. We can stop, socialize, make witty remarks, and then head back again at a comfortable pace. plan on around 10-15 miles. the route and stop are open to suggestions. All are welcome, this is a ride for the people!

You may rent a bike if you don't have one, or want to try something different.

The shop is at 7214 Jones St.  [ map ]

Shenandoah Lunch Ride in June

Mark your calendars for the Shenandoah Lunch Ride, Saturday, June 18, 2011.  This is a one-day 120 mile round trip from Omaha to El Portal in Shenandoah, Iowa.  The pace will be relaxed, but consistent with trying to get 120 miles in a day without it taking forever.

Meet at Turner Park in Midtown Crossing at 6:00 am.  We'll ride through downtown Omaha heading south to the Veterans Memorial Bridge, working our way toward the Wabash Trace.  From there it's about 45 miles of crushed limestone before gorging on tacos, burritos and baskets of chips and salsa.  Oh, and beer.

The way back is pretty much the same, except a little slower.  Who knows, maybe we'll do a celebratory dinner in Omaha.

There's no SAG support, so bring whatever you need to repair your bike.  I'd wager that others can help out if you have a problem, but in the end, you're on your own.

There are some towns along the way where we can stop for snacks and water, but these stops can be 10-15 miles apart, so be prepared with your own nutrition and hydration.

Click here for the route.





Please post your ideas and comments in the space provided below.

Sunday Tweed Ride and Tea Party

Suit up in your Sunday best and join the Ladies and Gentlemen Cycling Club as we ride from downtown Omaha to Memorial Park for a bit of tea and refreshments.

There we will join in with the Omaha Tea Party for a picnic in the park, merriment, and an all around jolly good time with splendid folk.

Meet at Greenstreet Cycles, 13th and Mike Fahey Street, Sunday, April 17 at noon.

Riders of all ages and abilities are welcome, but you are responsible for yourself.

See also:

• The Ladies & Gentlemen's Cycling Club April Ride and The Omaha Tea Party (Facebook event)
• The Omaha Tea Party (Facebook event)

Please note that this is a real tea party, and has nothing at all to do with politics.

Sunday Morning Grab Bag Ride

Tomorrow a rather motley group (no, not those guys, but wouldn't that be a fun jersey?) will gather for a who-knows-what kind of ride.  Meet at the southeast corner of Turner Park, at Midtown Crossing (Turner Boulevard and Farnam) at 10am.  We'll pedal off shortly, likely heading south, into the wind, on streets and/or trails. 

The plan is to get 30-50 miles in, but it's hard to know the pace just yet.  I've not ridden with three of the guys coming, one of whom just got a road bike and started commuting last week, so I have no idea of what to expect.  I'll list the known bikes and see if that puts things in perspective.

• Scott - Cross bike with 28mm tires
• Grant - Road bike with 23mm tires
• Julio - Road bike with 23mm tires
• Pell - Commuter bike with 32-35mm tires
• Chris - Cross bike with cross tires

All are welcome.

If folks want to go fast, I will volunteer to stay with a slower group, if necessary.  I will, however, still want to get miles in. My initial thoughts are a pace of 12-15 MPH if the wind is horrible, perhaps averaging a conversational 15-18 MPH if the wind isn't too bad.  Maybe a wicked tailwind will give a quick 20-30 MPH on the way back! :)

Watch my Twitter feed (@scottredd) for last minute updates to the plan if weather or whatnot affects the start time.

Bancroft Bayliss Loop ride

2011 BBL Rides

The Bancroft Bayliss Loop bicycle rides begin at 9:00 a.m. every Saturday from April 2 to November 5, 2011!

The Bancroft Bayliss Loop (BBL) is a community forming bicycle ride and cultural exchange between the Bancroft Market in Omaha Nebraska and the Bayliss area of downtown Council Bluffs Iowa.

The ride begins at the Bancroft Street Market at 10th & Bancroft.

The ride is roughly 19 miles and travels a route that explores the Omaha riverfront, the Bob Kerry Pedestrian Bridge, a beautiful natural landscape along the Missouri River, historic downtown Council Bluffs and many friendly residential neighborhoods on both sides of the river.

Contact:
Bill Seidler, Jr.
Bancroft Street Market
10th & Bancroft
bancroftstreetmarket@gmail.com