Show All » Cycling » Women's Cycling
Sunday, April 27, 2008Trek/Trailhead Women Who Ride Club
Trek recently announced the "WOMEN WHO RIDE CLUB" cycling club, open to all women ages 18 to 118. Club membership requires an annual fee of $39.99 which includes a welcome package of over $90 worth of GREAT "Women Who Ride" gear and chances to win Trek WSD bicycles, Trek Travel trips, and other great prizes. In keeping with our commitment to women's cycling, TRAILHEAD immediately applied for Chapter Head status for the club - meaning we will offer rides, informational meetings, workshops, and discounts and host special women's events at TRAILHEAD CYCLE & SKI. We of course already do most of these things, including special women's only rides, maintenance workshops, and custom bike fitting services - critical for women who ride. We even have a group called the SILVER STREAKS devoted to ladies seeking a more leisurely ride.
Please contact us for more information about any of these programs, group rides, the Silver Streaks - any and all of your cycling needs and questions. We are committed to cycling!
Visit http://www.trekbikes.com/women/club/ to learn more about the great deals and benefits of membership, and to sign up. Please remember if asked - TRAILHEAD Cycle & Ski is your local bike shop!
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Show All » Cycling » Cruiser Nation
Thursday, April 24, 2008Life on two wheels
I began riding my bike to work, regularly, about a month ago. It’s a
good feeling to say the least. The obvious reasons being the primary
motivation, such as gas heading toward $4 gallon, our influence on
climate change, and getting myself back in shape. But some of the other
perks of self-propelled transportation have manifested themselves in my
daily life.
It may sound like a familiar corny cliché but our
automotive lifestyles have inhibited us from slowing down, quieting
down, and enjoying so many things that go by in a blur outside the
protection of our windshield. Even on the few occasions this month that
I’ve fallen helpless to the need to take the car into town I find a
feeling of angst that I am missing something outside. One such thing I
enjoy is the direct connection I get when my mind decides it’s time to
move forward and my legs respond by pushing the pedals which as an
immediate response I am moved toward my destination. Sure you can
accomplish the same thing with a combustion engine, but you lose touch
in a car. You rarely appreciate the topography of the space around you
when you’ve got 100+ hp pushing you up a hill or past another person,
or even cruising downhill.
You also appreciate what is happening around
you, like what is really going on with the weather that day, or having
a chance rendezvous with a friend, or seeing a part of your
neighborhood you had never noticed. On a bike there’s a deeper
connection and meaning. It's hard not to feel good leaving your car in
the driveway and setting out on your bike to experience more from your
daily routine.
Cycling has embedded itself in my life over the last
year and a half, and without sounding too extremist I hope I might
influence more to join me in a childhood pasttime as a part of our
daily lives.
Original post by Brian Stack from "The Life Of Brian"
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Show All » Hiking » Welcome
Wednesday, April 23, 2008BV River Trails Cleanup - Sunday, 27 April
On Sunday, 27 April, members of our community will come together to help clean up the trails on both the east and west sides of the river (The Barbara Whipple Trail and the River Park Trails). Earl Richmond started the idea and several others joined the bandwagon (South Main, Mother’s, Dr Eric Gibb and family, and The Trailhead to name just a few) and we are looking forward to having a rather large group out to pick up trash and dog poop.
Why are we doing this and why do we care? Other than the obvious fact that the trails are in really poor shape after the long, snowy winter is that we feel strongly about presenting a cleaner image to the visitors and racers coming to town over the next several weeks and months.
While many dog owners think it is okay to simply leave pet waste on the trail because it will “go back to nature” or that it is okay to just “push it over the edge” (and honestly some probably think cleaning up after their pet is beneath them), the reality is dog poop is a nasty health issue for dogs and humans alike. Several diseases are transmitted by discarded dog poop such as tapeworm, cryptosporidium, salmonellosis, giardia, E Coli, and parvovirus. Not only that, if it is just kicked off the trail and rolls downhill into the river, do you really want to go kayaking or wading in the same water?
It you want to be a part of the solution and want to help us clean up our trails, come out and join us on Sunday.
Event: BV River Park Clean Up
Date: Sunday April 27th, 10:00am-12 noon
Why: Clean up our very dirty park
Who: Anyone who likes the park, kids are welcomed and will be put to work. Bring some gloves and pooper scooper if you have them. We will bring bags and other gear too.
Benefits: Food and beverages and cleaner shoes next time you use the park.
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Show All » Cycling » Cruiser Nation
Saturday, April 05, 2008Cruiser Nation
Hey, look, I love all aspects of cycling. I've never lost my childlike fascination for bicycles. And I love racing, mountain biking - I love it all. But what I really, REALLY want to see is bicycles become a - er, the - primary mode of short-trip transportation in the United States. That's why I'm so excited to see Buena Vista becoming Cruiser Nation. If ever there was a town that should be the Amsterdam of the Rockies, it's Buena Vista.
Cruiser bicycles are hot. Cruisers are the laid-back "old-timey" bikes you see tooling around. They are fun to ride and easy to maintain, with retro styles, modern components, and cool colors and graphics. Put a basket on the front, saddle baskets on the back, and you have a great commuter and errand ride.
What's behind the cruiser phenomenon? Perhaps it's the influence of all things surf. When I lived in Coronado and La Jolla I'd get around on my Schwinn Continental bit I'd see cruisers - and in those days these were old Murrays, Huffies, and even J.C. Higginses - scooting all over. They made (and make) a lot of sense for a beach community. The terrain is fairly flat, the mood is laid-back, and speeds are slow so flips, baggies, and shades are adequate cycling gear. These same reasons make cruisers great for Buena Vista.
I think it goes deeper than the surf vibe, though. Beyond the style, there's the ride: simple, classic, and leisurely. You're nice and upright so you can see and wave to your friends. The large saddles are nicely padded and most have springs. Cruisers have big fat tires for a comfortable ride. They have a chain guard so you don't snag your clothes or skin your ankle. The frames are long for a nice comfortable and stable wheelbase.
The laid-back, upright design gives a riding position for maximum comfort. When you have the saddle set at the proper height, your feet are flat on the ground when stopped. You can stay in that position for a long time while chatting with friends encountered along the way, sitting by the fence watching a ballgame, or pulling over to chat on your mobile. Cruiser handlebars are swept back for a retro motorcycle look, yet give you remarkable control and stability.
New cruisers have updated technology. Treks are lightweight rust-proof aluminum with rust-proof chains. (Some other companies use steel which is very heavy and rusts.) We recommend multi-speed versions because even though it looks flat here, it isn't perfectly flat - and we're at 8,000 feet. It's nice to vary your pace, and of course you may be laden at time so it's nice to have gear selections. Here again, we recommend the simple and low-maintenance three speeds. Trek has, and we offer, seven speed cruisers, but the three-speed cruisers work best for most people and their budget.
So, if you're reading this somewhere way, far away from Buena Vista and want to cop the BV vibe - join us in Cruiser Nation. It's more than a place, it's an attitude.
Get cruisin'!
kb
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Show All » A Will o' the Wisp » Welcome
Friday, March 14, 2008A Will-o'-the-Wisp: Welcome!
What is a Will o' the Wisp?
"The term will-o'-the-wisp comes from wisp, a bundle of sticks or paper sometimes used as a torch, and will-o' ("Will of"). The folklore phenomenon will-o'-the-wisp (will of the wisp) is sometimes referred to as Jack o' lantern (Jack of the lantern), and indeed the two terms were originally synonymous."
A
Will o' the Wisp signifies many different things across many different
cultures. Ancient Celts and Slavs thought will-o'-the-wisps were
ghostly spirits bent on leading woodland travelers astray. Some
cultures believed will-o'-the-wisps drew wayward woodland travelers to
themselves. Depending on how the person treated the will-o'-the-wisp,
the spirit would either, similar to Puck, lead them out of the forest
or guide them out. in the forest Nordic peoples believed
will-o'-the-wisps led people to the site of buried treasures - that
could be found only while the will-o'-the-wisp hovered over the spot.
That's the sense in which we hope you'll think of us - although we will
admit to having a Puckish streak!
Why Will o' the Wisp?
Because foxfire and will-o'-the-wisp yield light but generate little heat. Because it's a woodland phenomenon with campfire sagas and legends attached. Because it's where we're from.
This is where we hope to examine almost anything - the environment, politics, sustainable development, business philosophy and practices. Please jump in - we want this to be a bit of a university on the web for a free exchange of ideas. All we ask is intellectual honesty and respect for your fellow participants.
kb
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Show All » Cycling » Welcome
Tuesday, March 04, 2008Ark Valley Velo Organizational Meeting
Ark Valley Velo, Northern Chaffee County's new cycling club, will hold an organizational meeting Wednesday evening, 5 March 2008 at 7p/19:00. The meeting will be in the Aspen Room at the Buena Vista Community Center. All current, former, and future cyclists are urged to attend. We'll be discussing membership, activities, advocacy, and a variety of other issues of interest to cyclists. We will also be seeking members and volunteers to help us realize our vision of a bicycle-friendly Buena Vista. Please join us!
Posted By: Keith Baker @ 11:16:03 AMTop
Show All » A Will o' the Wisp » Sustainability
Friday, February 29, 2008More Smart Growth
I wrote the following on ChannelBV.net in reply to the question spawned by my earlier post. The question was "What does smart growth mean to you?"
Good question. To me smart growth recognizes that growth is inevitable
and approaches growth from a management perspective more than a
limitation perspective. I am pro-growth (not that it matters - as I
said, I believe growth is inevitable) but I am also very
pro-environment, pro-quality of life, pro-sustainability. Growth is
going to come; the question is how to manage and channel it while
preserving the things we cherish.
Fortunately someone has already observed highly-effective communities and written down their attributes.
The smart growth principles are:
- 1. Create a range of housing opportunities and choices
2. Create walkable neighborhoods
3. Encourage community and stakeholder collaboration
4. Foster distinctive, attractive communities with a strong sense of place
5. Make development decisions predictable, fair, and cost effective
6. Mix land uses
7. Preserve open space, farmland, natural beauty, and critical environmental areas
8. Provide a variety of transportation choices
9. Strengthen and direct development toward existing communities
10.Take advantage of compact building design
Smartgrowth.org, the Sonoran Institute, and the Northwest Earth Institute, among many others, offer more on smart growth and sustainability.
I value and advocate all the principles, but the ones dearest to me are 2, 7, 8, and 9. For example, my dream is to see an integrated regional transit system that dramatically reduces vehicle miles traveled, reduces pollution and congestion, and encourages human-powered transportation. The unused (it hasn't been abandoned) rail line could be used for light passenger rail service. This would not preclude a bike trail alongside sections of the rail, and a regional trails network would feed into the rail system. Most roads would have bicycle lanes, and urban areas would have sidewalks, crosswalks, and bicycle lockers at the rail stations. Rail passengers could also carry their bicycle, power chair, or other equipment in a baggage car.
The system would channel growth toward existing communities. The system would achieve this by having stops at these key areas. This would also foster walkability and cycle-ability around those communities. Modern light rail is clean and quiet, and the schedule wouldn't need to interfere with local sleep patterns.
This entire concept could be the subject of another very lengthy post, or several topical ones. I've thought a great deal about this and discussed it with many people - including the Western Transportation Institute at Montana State University. I'm happy to discuss this any time and exchange ideas.
This idea may be years ahead of its time, and I know there are those amongst us who'll scream bloody murder, but someday we'll need it. People in the Roaring Fork Valley wish they had such a system and rue the day the tracks were removed. If we don't begin the discussion and advocacy now, we won't have it in the future when we need it. One need only examine CDOT's Regional Transportation Plan 2035 to see that - just more highway lanes and no real visionary solutions.
Just saw a great quote that rather encapsulates my Quixotic attitude on this:
“In the long run, men only hit what they aim at. Therefore, though you should fail immediately, you had better aim at something high.”
-- Henry David Thoreau
Posted By: Keith Baker @ 7:42:35 PM
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Show All » A Will o' the Wisp » Sustainability
Wednesday, February 27, 2008Smart Growth in Chaffee County
Engaged citizens are having stimulating discussions about
sustainability. One of the many expressions used in sustainability is
"smart growth." I purposely didn't use capital letters. Paradoxically,
smart growth has achieved almost pejorative status, like some Orwellian
double-speak that means anything but smart growth, a clever way to
shroud the real agenda of "anti growth."
The term rankles some
to the point that, once used, all listening ceases. One smart growth
advocate I know even eschews using the term. Confrontation ranks high
among things I'd rather avoid, but I will continue to use "smart
growth" frequently and with great glee and gusto.
I do this not
to anger anyone (although I enjoy stirring the pot), but because smart
growth is simply "smart" "growth." Saying it any other way is
inefficient and smells of subterfuge. Many attributes of livable
communities comprise smart growth principles. Smart growth awareness is
a sine qua non for sustainable communities. So I will not be deterred.
The
key to success is to organize and educate. Some of the people who
ranked themselves among smart growth's most ardent opponents have gone
away from discussions with me saying "Wow, that's good stuff, no one
would oppose any of that." But they usually follow that with the
Parthian shot an idealist abhors: "Great ideas, but they won't work
here."
I submit they will work here - they must!
Safe routes to school, community dialog, transportation alternatives -
sustainability - these are among the Smart Growth (note the shift to
caps) principles. Most are not luxuries dreamed up by some latter-day
anti-growth environmentalist hippie - these are basic human health and
safety issues. These are things older, traditional communities (and
don't we - especially Smart Growth's indigenous opponents - claim
Chaffee County is one?) had before Caterpillar D9s, cul de sacs,
and giant home-improvement stores ruled the earth? Walkable communities
where children can walk to the corner for an ice cream, skateboard to
the playground for joyful exercise, or bicycle to school - all safely?
Some
of us pride ourselves on being green, and "mountain" or "ranch" people
living in harmony with Nature as our peer. Meanwhile, residents of
neighborhoods in any large city have far smaller environmental
footprints, and some live in closer harmony with Nature, with better
access to trails, open space, and nature centers.
Someone
recently said to me "Downtown BV doesn't need to be RE-juvenated - it
was never JU-venated in the first place!" That's where we are with a
lot of Smart Growth principles. We don't have sidewalks, safe
crosswalks, trails, pocket parks - many safety and livability
attributes the town should have had since inception. We'll be playing
catch-up on these basic necessities for years, which falls far short of
anticipating inevitable growth through wise planning and thoughtful
action.
So - does that mean we Chaffee Countians are condemned?
Not if we organize, educate, and act. Not if we demand that our taxes
are spent on these basic necessities, that zones and codes are written
with Smart Growth principles in mind, that zones and codes are
enforced, that our Town trustees do not waive sidewalk requirements,
that CDOT provides for safe walking and cycling on Highway 24, and that
local, state, and federal agencies begin working immediately on a
regional transit system -among many other things.
Visit http://www.smartgrowth.org and learn what Smart Growth is. Visit http://www.sonoran.org and order a free copy of Building From the Best of the Northern Rockies. You'll be inspired - fired up, ready to go!
Concerned
citizens should engage in the ongoing code revision effort. The
committees and subcommittees are in place but need to hear from you and
need your support. Please attend the meetings you can (the public
hearings will begin in future months) and sound your support. Our new
county planner is a Smart Growth advocate and will need your support
when calls for her head are raised. A Smart Growth seminar is scheduled
for 9-12 Thursday, 20 March at the county fairgrounds. Please attend -
and bring a skeptic with you. For more on the code and zone revision
effort and countywide planning in Chaffee visit http://www.chaffeecounty.org
and select "Land Use Focus Groups and Roundtable Information" at the
bottom of the list. Also visit "Planning and Zoning" from the
Departments listed on the left.
While being demanding and as
strident as our opponents, we must do all these things in a positive
way - and educate our fellow citizens.
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Show All » A Will o' the Wisp » Business Philosophy & Practices
Saturday, February 23, 2008On Customer Service
We believe in outstanding customer service. We enjoy superior customer service as customers, and we believe in delivering a superior customer service experience as business people.
This isn't all nobility and altruism; it's also a practical matter to us. It's survival. The Trailhead and Trailhead Cycle & Ski is a small shop with limited buying power. We compete on value and added-value propositions - although our price policy is MSRP or advertised price with no remote-location premium mark-ups. We rely on customer service to differentiate The Trailhead and Trailhead Cycle & Ski from our competition.
What is customer service, and what does it mean to us? And more importantly, what does customer service mean to you? This isn't intended to be exhaustive, and as you will see we solicit your input - so please weigh in and add to our thoughts. Engage in the discussion.
We see customer service as a system, by that meaning that no one part of the system can be prioritized over the other. If one component or activity fails, the entire customer service system fails, or at least performs at substandard levels. Thus the following are not listed in any sort of priority, but as they flow this particular Saturday morning.
1. A clean, well-merchandized, and enjoyable place to shop. Being here - here, where you are. Easy parking without paving vast tracts of land like a big box. A shop that is easily navigated without squeezing between overloaded racks. Products you can touch and feel and have someone explain to you in understandable, features-to-benefits (to-you) language. No matter the offering, any shop that values you and your business should be clean and well-merchandized. We are small but we work hard to accomplish this.
2. A friendly, knowledgeable team eager to help. The point of shopping in any specialty shop is personalized service. We work to have a stable team and as owners we are personally engaged, on the floor as much as possible. We enjoy customer contact as proprietors and hope that is obvious to our customers and staff. Our team is well-compensated and receives training and performance incentives that empower and encourage every member to help you. We want to meet your needs, not just sell you things.
3. Knowing our customer and catering to their needs. Our customers are our reason for being. Although our shop is an expression of our values, we must do this in a way that serves our unique customers - Arkansas Valley residents with their unique lifestyle, and guests to our Valley who are here to enjoy the wide variety of outdoors adventures. That's a major challenge - more on that in due course.
4. Selecting the best available products for our customers that deliver the best overall value. Buying quality merchandise that will last and serve the needs of our customers. We are small, and we know most of our customers have finite resources unlike the customers of resort shops - plus our customers' lives are different. We can't be everything to everyone so we endeavor to be the best shop in the world for our unique customers. We work hard to pre-select the best for our customer. We emphasize quality, functionality, durability - value - from responsible companies that reflect our ethics and values.
5. Communicating (listening more than talking) with our customers, whether they tell us outright (which we enjoy) or subtly by their purchases that they like or dislike a product, or the way we've done something. This blog is another way of communicating (a two-way exchange) with our customers. Please tell us when we can do better, or what you'd like to see in The Trailhead and Trailhead Cycle & Ski. When you're happy, please tell the person serving you, and us so we can reward their good work - and of course, please tell others.
6. A no-hassle apples-to-apples price matching policy. If you see the same item at a lower price from an authorized reseller, we'll match the total deal. Of course there are some details and restrictions, but they're reasonable. You can be sure you're getting a great deal.
7. The most generous customer rewards program in outdoor specialty retail. Our TrailMiles program rewards our loyal customers for virtually every purchase - full price, sale price, service - with rewards points that never expire. At 500 TrailMiles, the customer (that's you) receives a $20 dividend that can be used on the spot (if the purchase is over $20) - again on any purchase - full price, sale price, service. Or, if you prefer, you can save the dividend to be used at a later date. No other business in the industry is so generous. And in 2007, our loyal customers received over $8,000 in dividends from our little shop! That translated into money they could spend anywhere they wanted on whatever they needed that very day.
We'll expand on all these aspects of our customer service philosophy and talk about community support and involvement at a later time.
Please share your thoughts with us. If you think we're falling short in any way of our goal to provide you a world-class outdoor specialty experience - please tell us. If we are meeting or exceeding your expectations, please tell others.
And if you have any tips on better blogging, email those too!
kb
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Show All » Travel » Welcome
Thursday, February 14, 2008Global Adventure
Welcome to The Travel Blog!
Here we hope to provide an open forum for everyone to share their travel adventures.
Feel free to browse around and comment on some of the sites others have been so fortunate to enjoy and don't hesitate to act on your inspiration, get out and have fun!
Just don't forget to come back here and email your own stories and thoughts to be included on our blog page! And send pictures!
Sincerely,
- The Trailhead
Posted By: Keith Baker @ 10:56:49 AMTop
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