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What a great idea!If the Vuelta goes ahead with the plan of having the new 32 team firstweek (See “Vueltagets preliminary okay for new approach“) it would make the race pretty damn exciting. Just imagine, No boring first week, twice the racingwith teams fighting for their lives. There wouldn’t be any (as much) arguingabout teams being excluded from the tour due to nationalism (boo..! TdF).It would also give smaller teams a chance to upset the big dogs. I know if this plan goes through I will be glued to my TV.Maybe we’d even see another American team invited….(Navigators?????)Karl Knutson
San FranciscoHuman power ain’t the same as gasoline powerFor all of those who think trail access issues are someone else’s problem,wake up! (see “IMBAquestions California wilderness bill provisions“) If Congress enacts Senator Boxer’s narrow view of appropriatewilderness use, most off road riding in California will be shared withdirt bikes, OHV’s and vehicles with big engines and smelly exhaust.This is not conducive to a happy off road experience, not to mentionthe hazards to your lungs and ears. IMBA needs our support, both in dollarsand in letter writing. Otherwise, I may hang up my knobby tires for good.Giny ChandlerWe could actually walk to some of those placesIt shames me that some cyclists can be so utterly selfish.With human overpopulation reaching critical mass, and with wildernessareas constantly under the threat of development, I am appalled that anyonewould even begin to whine about losing their favorite mountain bike trail(s)when what is being proposed is best for future generations and the futureof this planet, not to mention the already threatened wildlife inhabitingthe area.Cycling is a privilege, not a right.Eric Collander
Oberlin, Ohio
 Damn the Boxer, Full Speed Ahead!It is clear that the eco-weenies will not stop until the only placebicycles are allowed is on pavement. Nearly every acre of land that couldpossibly be closed under the Wilderness Act of 1964, has been closed tobicycles. So the fun-Nazis are redefining ‘Wilderness’ (currently defined here: http://www.fs.fed.us/outernet/htnf/definiti.htm) to include places that have been mined, roaded and settled.The fact that even some IMBA members support the bill only means thatIMBA’s membership has been diluted by free memberships given to Subarudrivers. IMBA no longer represents the real interests of real mountainbikers.Just look at IMBA’s hometown of Boulder, where a mountain bike ridemeans throwing your bike on top of your car and driving 20 miles to JeffersonCounty where multiple use is actually practiced.Mountain bikers would be wise to skip the IMBA contribution and lookinto the Blue Ribbon Coalition at http://www.sharetrails.org. If eco-NIMBY-socialist Barbara Boxer and her ilk are lumping mountainbikes with Jeeps, we might as well show them a unified front of resistance.Scott Ledbetter
Moab, UtahThat crazy lady in TexasI don’t suppose this crazy lady in Texas (see “Friday’sFoaming Rant: Share the Road“) thought for a second that maybe, justmaybe, these women on inline skates, pushing baby joggers with no kid init, were actually using “alternative” transportation to drop their childrenat nursery school or whatever?People like this crazy lady in Texas (by the way, I liked the way shementioned “on the way home from church”, cause she’s obviously so pure)are why we all need to pay attention to every car we encounter on the road.There was an accident outside of Boulder about a month ago where a womanin her mid-40s was out for a bike ride about a mile from her house andwas struck and killed by a drunk driver. This woman was not a “serious”cyclist by any means. She was wearing a helmet, she was riding on the shoulder,the accident happened at only 7:00 pm.The guy, driving a Cadillac Escalade, went off the road some 70 feetbefore her and struck her from behind. He hit her with the driver’sside of his car (Think about that) and dragged her some 50 feet. She waspronounced dead at the scene.Seven in the evening and he was already drunk. How many of you commutehome from work and are on the road at 7:00 pm?This crazy lady in Texas is just one of many. We all know stories likethis.We do have the right to ride on the road, but she does have a point,we need to obey the rules of the road, even more so when we are on a bike.You never know how any driver is going to react, sober or not.Let’s be careful out there.Heather Szabo –
Membership and Events Coordinator
International Mountain Bicycling AssociationThe way of the warriorHi Guys,I just finished reading the latest Foaming Rant by Patrick O’Grady.I agree that there are far toooo many nut jobs out there in SUV’s but wehave to keep in mind, that we as cyclists won’t damage their bumper asmuch as they will damage us. We need to make sure we don’t give them anymore fuel for the fire.However, here is an ok story about an incident between myself and amotorist. I was heading out to the bike shop I used to work at when a womanwith blond hair, nails and a cigarette about as big as her Suburban startedto honk at me.I looked over my shoulder and she was waving me to move out of her way.With cars parked along the side of the road, I was about as far over asI could be. She had another whole lane to her left, but wanted this one.She hit the gas, and went by me with about as much room as a slice of aluminumfoil. She got caught at the light, so as I rolled to a stop, she decidedto get out and yell at me. Her SUV was running and she left the door open.I walked back to the car door, with her following me, and I hit the lockbutton and shut the door. The light then turned green, and the stunnedwoman stood there as I rode off.That felt good.Hope you all had a great weekend.Thanks for the great mag!Matt MyersOur own worst enemies… at timesI used to work an outdoor job on the weekends that was right next toa very busy intersection on Pacific Coast Highway (101) in north San Diego(CA) county. On weekends, PCH is very heavily traveled by both cars andcyclists, not too surprising considering its location in the heart of “thetriathlon capital” of Encinitas.It always amazed me that groups of cyclists would just blow right throughthe stop sign there, and I kept waiting for the horrific crash. I nevermanaged to witness one in all of the time I worked there, but it was certainly”an accident waiting to happen”. I make it a point to stop and look aroundat intersections, all it takes is one oblivious idiot in an SUV to reallymess up your ride. I agree wholeheartedly with your rant, but I gotta saythat if I was living in Texas near those two in-duh-viduals, I’d be inclinedto apply for a CCW permit in case one of the lunatics decided to open firewith a paintball gun…Carl Kuck
San Diego, CADeath of a friendTo whom it may concern;Three weeks ago a friend died while training. Jose A. Menendez was outon his bike training for our State Time Trial when he unfortunately hitthe back of a tree trimming truck. The accident was fatal and as I understandit he died on the spot. This is a sad thing and it hit home with me becauseJose and I had a lot in common. We were both Firefighters, and we bothraced bicycles, we were about the same age and I had a similar accidentseven years ago that put me in the hospital in the Intensive Care Unitfor two weeks. Thank God I am still here to write this.The story gets worse I’m sorry to tell you Jose left behind a wife andthree kids the youngest 24 days old. Jose will receive a small life insurancepolicy from his job and I think his family will probably take legal actiontowards the tree trimming company but who knows how that will end.His wife did not work and I am sure cannot at this time. The Fire Departmentis trying to help out and they have set up a fund for him. I would liketo ask you and your readers to join me in helping his family 1 dollar canhelp. It could have happened to any one of us and it almost happened tome.Jose A Menendez & Children Fund #2857700
Miami Fire Fighters Benevolent Association
1111 NW 7 Street
Miami, Florida
33166Thanks God Bless,
Andrew Teixeira
Miami, Florida